


The Sound of Starting Over

by CaptainBlood



Category: Football RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Alternate Universe, Borussia Dortmund, Comfort/Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Football | Soccer, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Major Character Injury, Marco is a football coach, Randomness, Robert is a youth scout
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-05-30
Packaged: 2018-03-12 05:58:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3346115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainBlood/pseuds/CaptainBlood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Marco Reus' dream of becoming a professional footballer gets shattered, he takes on the job of coaching an under-twelve team on the outskirts of Dortmund; where he meets Robert Lewandowski. A scout for Borussia Dortmund's youth system and an ex-professional footballer who has a lot more in common with Marco than the blond would like to believe. </p><p>AU.</p><p>Temp-Hiatus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Youngblood

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this written for a very long time and I've never posted it...don't ask me why...
> 
> But yeah, this is rather short; but it's just one chapter. I just want to know if people think I should continue this. :O
> 
> Anyway...here ya go.

Marco sighed as he entered the tunnel that lead to the football pitch, kids and parents followed suit behind him as they made their way to the grassy terrain above. Absentmindedly he rubbed his hands together, wondering why fate had been so cruel to him in the last year. After becoming one of the most exciting football prodigies Germany had seen in quite awhile, his career was cut short by a devastating injury. And by short, he meant it had never begun. 

He had been the star of his Universities' team and was even being courted by major professional clubs all across Europe when it happened. He almost wished he could go back in time and prepare himself for that day. If he had known that breezy Saturday afternoon would have been his last day on the pitch as a player then he would have reminded himself to savor every moment. But unfortunately, life didn't work out that way. One moment he had scored what would prove to be the winning goal, and the next he was crumpled on the ground; clutching his ankle that was broken beyond belief. 

He silently cursed as the sun bore down on his skin when he took his first step onto the pitch, his right foot hitting the ground first out of habit. The kids - the ones he would be coaching for the next six months - took off in a burst of energy. All of them running around the open grass field as their parents laughed and waited for Marco to instruct them on what the expectations were for the season. He waved the older adults over to the touchline where he pivoted on the ball of his foot, his good one, so he could face them all. 

"Good morning everyone, and thank you all for coming out today. I know you all must have very busy schedules, but I appreciate you all making time for this." Marco clasped his hands behind his back as he eyed the crowd over, most of the parents looked young. But there were a few who seemed to be at least double Marco's own tender age of twenty three. 

"Now, I know this a very exciting time for your kids and possibly even yourselves; but we do have some goals and requirements that we must talk about before we can move forward with this program." Marco announced as he tried to tone out the screams of delight the kids from across the field emitted. "Does anyone have any questions thus far?"

"Yeah, I've got one." A male, one of the older of the group, stated as he crossed his arms across his chest. Marco nodded for him to continue. "Weren't you one of the most sought after players last year? They never announced exactly why you didn't go pro, but I would have never guessed it would be because you wanted to coach an under twelve team." 

What the blond coach presumed was the older man's wife slapped her husband on the back and muttered his name under her breath as if to disapprove of his question. But Marco took the high road and decided to let the bluntness and dull sting of his words slide.

"Yes, I was. But I suffered an injury and have since had to hang up my boots, I can't exactly play football when I have metal rods in my leg. So I've decided to help kids pursue their dreams because I can no longer accomplish mine." Marco answered with a hint of bitterness as he shielded the sun from his eyes. The man's face, along with his wife's, turned a bright shade of red out of embarrassment upon hearing the young blond's announcement.

"As I was saying before I was in-"

"Sorry, are we too late?" Marco had to fight the urge to scream as he was cut off. The speaker slowly came into view with a young boy clinging to his leg shyly. The man smiled sheepishly at the coach as he ushered, what Marco presumed to be his son, off of him so he could go join the others. Which the young boy did reluctantly. 

Marco found himself staring at the man for a moment, partially in disdain for the rude interruption, and partially because he was the most perfect man Marco had ever seen. His jaw line looked like it had been sculpted by the angels themselves, and his pale skin was the prettiest shade Marco had ever seen decorate a human body. The man's dark hair brought about the strongest contrast to his piercingly blue eyes, and his smile was not only shy but resilient.

"Are you a parent?" Marco asked out of stupidity, earning chuckles from the group of adults that surrounded them on the grass. The dark haired man chuckled and shook his head. 

"No, that's my nephew. I'm sorry for interrupting you, but I'm Robert Lewandowski; a scout for Borussia Dortmund. My nephew is in your class, but I was wondering if you would allow me to survey the training sessions for the up and coming weeks? I've been instructed to speak with you about this from your boss, he said it was up to you since this was your team." 

Marco felt his face flush. For starters, Borussia Dortmund had been the club he had been keen on joining, and secondly, this man, Robert Lewandowski; wanted to come watch his team practice? He had to wonder why Dortmund would send a scout so early on, before the team even began any hard work or played any matches; but he decided not to question it.

Excited whispers broke out amongst the group of parents, many mumbling about how this was _'their kid's chance to become a super star.'_ It took Marco agreeing to this mans proposal and a full forty five minutes of talking to get his points across to the parents. He was glad he was able to dismiss them for the day, parents and kids alike, as the group agreed to meet back up in two days time for the first practice. 

Marco sighed as he plopped down on the ground, his hands automatically went to his ankle as he watched the group dwindle down until only a few were present. His leg stung, which was something he was becoming used too. It had been six months since the injury, and five since his surgery, but the pain that emerged after the procedure that saved his ability to walk still found it's way to him. _Out of all the people in the world, I had to be the one to wind up with a fate like this._ He frowned as he traced the line of the incision scar under his dark skinny jeans. 

"I'm sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to interrupt you so blatantly." 

Marco lifted his head up so his eyes could meet those of the speakers. The brilliant blue from earlier showed nothing but kindness as Robert offered his hand out to the blond. The football coach took the extended limb with his own and thanked the dark haired male as he was lifted to his feet. He tried to ignore the flash of pain that surged throughout his body.

"It's all right, really. I'm a bit surprised Dortmund would send someone to scout so early on...do you have any idea why they'd do that? I mean I haven't even had time to properly assess these kids, hell; we haven't even begun practicing." Marco rubbed the back of his neck anxiously before adjusting his track jacket. The other man laughed nervously and shrugged as he surveyed their surroundings.

"I'm not really sure, they just tell me where to go and I go." Robert answered with another smile. 

"Hey, Lewy! Where's my boy? We're late for his appointment." Marco turned his head so he could catch sight of the speaker. He was beginning to give up on trying to find out why his conversations were impended on. The woman looked strikingly similar to the man he was just speaking with. 

"Hey sis, he's over there. I'll pick him in two days at the same time." Robert answered sheepishly as the woman, his sister, rushed off to collect her son. 

"I'm sorry, you must be his coach. I hate to be rude but we're very late as of now." The woman said as her cheeks turned a dark shade of red. 

"That's quite all right, it was nice to meet you." Marco said warily as he waved the duo off, leaving only he and Robert standing on the empty pitch. 

"Sorry about that, she's a bit unorganized...hence why I'm in charge of making sure Dominik gets to practice on time." The dark haired man said with a chuckle as he wrapped his coat further around himself, Marco found it challenging to fight back the smile that threatened to grow on his face. 

"No, don't worry about it. I'm new at all of this, too. I'm honestly starting to have my doubts about doing this...I've never taught anyone how to play football; let alone a group of twenty kids." The coach mumbled as he rubbed the back of his hands absentmindedly, suddenly feeling a bit self conscious. 

"Nonsense, you're Marco Reus. One of the world's most promising talents, and one of the best readers of the game that I've ever had the pleasure to see." Said man's eyes went wide as he looked at the Dortmund scout.

"You saw me play?" Marco quizzed as began to rack his mind. He had met several scouts from Dortmund, and even Jurgen Klopp himself had attended one of his matches and spoke with him. But he couldn't recall ever seeing the man in front of him before, let alone speaking with him.

"Mhm, several times, actually. Klopp's orders were very clear when it came to you. He told me to make sure a scout was at every one of your matches, and as soon as you graduated he told me to do whatever it took to bring you to Dortmund." Robert answered with earnest, though his eyes dropped down to his feet. "But the day I went to speak with you was the last match of the season...and I'm sure you remember the rest."

"Yeah, clearly. One minute I was king of the world and the next I was being stretchered off with my ankle falling off of the bone. Yeah, I remember that well enough." Marco scoffed as he ran a hand over his hair, making sure that the breeze that had picked up didn't cause any of his hair to stray. 

"I didn't mean to upset you, forgive me. I suppose I was speaking out of turn. I know that must be a delicate subject for you, but I can relate to it." Robert's words were laced thickly with a kindness that made Marco's skin crawl. _I can relate to it_? How on earth could this man, this stranger, possibly know anything about what pain that injury had caused him. Not only physically, but emotionally as well.

"Really?" Marco quizzed as he stuck his hands in his pockets, trying to ignore the pain that radiated under his skin. Robert nodded his head sheepishly.

"Yeah, look it up if you want...there's a video of what happened to me on Youtube. Just type in my name and I'm sure you'll find it...but my point is, my career got cut short, too. I know it's hard to cope with and I know it feels unfair but perhaps life has a greater plan for you, Marco."

"I doubt that," Marco stated in response as he tilted his head back towards the brilliantly blue sky, out of the corner of his eye he saw Robert do the same thing. 

"Maybe you can work with Klopp as one of the coaches? You are still an extremely talented young man and you have potential to be a great influence on a team. Considering the fact you know the game so well, I wouldn't be surprised if all of these kids of yours become super stars." Robert said as he lowered his head and glanced at Marco, who returned the gesture.

"Let's not get carried away just yet. I have a lot to prove before I'm worth my salt." 

"Ah, and you're modest. I like that." Robert said warmly as he reached for something in his pocket, a business card, which he extended out to Marco. The blond took it without a second thought. "I guess I will be seeing you in two days then, I look forward to it. Have a great day." 

Marco shook the man's hand before watching the brunette leave through the tunnel, making the blond the last person on the pitch. Sighing, he decided to call it a day and return home so he could rest his leg and think about what exactly fate had in store for him.

When he arrived home he did as Robert had suggested and searched the web for the video of the scout's injury. Marco watched it in slow motion, which made the impact look a thousand times worse than it did in real time. He watched the man's leg snap over and over again with a hint of disgust and a tad bit of sympathy. Robert really did know what it was like, he mused as he laid his leg on a stack of pillows. The scars and angry lines around it made him feel so ill he swore he would puke. He wasn't wrong.


	2. Doubt and Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marco's first day on the job nearly goes as planned, and Robert's words hit home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank god it's Sunday! (ergo, I actually had time to work on this second chapter).   
> Arsenal's win may or may have not given me some more inspiration to work on this, because hey, a win for one of your teams is good motivation. :P  
> Anyway, here's the second chapter to this, and thank you to all of the kind people who left kudos/comments on the original piece. You guys rock!

**He struck the ball with venom.**

**He watched it curl into the back of the net with a _swoosh_ before retrieving it and doing it again. _One, two, three, four, five times_ it the target without fail. The sixth time he stuttered forward, his boots digging to deep into the ground as he lost the momentum he had built up for his self. He fell to the ground then, watching the ball in front of him with absolute disgust. **

**His leg stung like it had been dipped in venom. But he forced himself off of the ground and lamely tried to run forward towards the black and white object again. The tip of his boot connected with the underside of the ball and he watched it curl in disdain. _Too far to the left,_ until it rolled past the post. **

**He screamed in frustration as he sunk to his knees, hands flying to the ground beneath him as he dug his fingers in the grass. Where he had once been a maestro, he was now reduced to a novice.**

**The ball didn't bend to his will anymore, the ground didn't give way beneath his once strong strides and his feet couldn't do what his brain had intended. He felt lost, obliterated, his mind was not playing tricks on him any longer. He had to admit the fact that he was never going to play again, that when the doctors told him he would be out of the game forever that they were in fact right.**

**But he didn't want too.**

**He thought that if he took some time away from it, took time to himself and let his body heal that it would eventually be as it once was. But there was no denying the fact that now his body was healed and that now his dreams were truly unachievable. He had been naive, he was wrong; and he hated himself for it.**

"Uhm...Mr. Reus?" 

Marco lifted his head, at first not fully understanding that he had been trapped in a day dream. Parents gave him curious looks, their children even remained silent as they waited for the blond to collect himself. And Robert, the one who had so kindly pulled the coach out of his own head, placed a calm hand on his shoulder. A silent reassuring measure, Marco was certain.

"I'm sorry, I'm feeling a bit off today." The blond announced as he feigned a cough and zipped up his coat. The sun that bore down on him so brightly the day before was nowhere to be found, and in it's wake were angry dark clouds that hung low to the ground; threatening to rain and make his work even more difficult. But he found that he didn't mind it. 

"Please be back in three hours to pick them up, two hours if it decides to rain." Marco stated warmly as Robert dropped his hand from the younger man's shoulder. The parents all said their goodbyes as their kids worked on getting their shin guards and respective boots on; and the blond took that small moment to turn and face Robert. The Dortmund scout bit his lip, almost as if he knew what Marco was going to say.

"I was thinking about the last time I played...or tried too, when you got my attention. I know that seems trivial now...but thank you. That was kind of embarrassing." 

Robert smiled and shook his head as he stuck his hands in his Dortmund jacket, one Marco recognized as a _director's coat_. 

"It's not trivial, I sometimes find myself thinking about it, too. It sucks, to have your mind on one page and your body on another, but we make do with it in time. No need to thank me, you were only starring into space for a couple of minutes." 

"Minutes?!" Marco whisper yelled in horror as he thought of how idiotic he must have looked to the people who were waiting on his instruction. Robert chuckled and waved his hands in the air defensively. 

"Okay, more like thirty seconds; I may have exaggerated a little bit." Robert said with a click of his tongue and a shy smile. Marco gently punched him in the arm, a giggle escaping his throat as he did so.

"God, don't scare me like that." He laughed as he waved the kids over who were finished getting the proper gear on. He squatted down so he was on eye level with them all.

"How's everyone doing today?" 

A collective "good" met the speaker's ears, which was something to be expected; but still he found himself smiling. 

"Good, now I want you guys to call me one of two things; it's either Marco or coach. There will be none of this Mr. Reus stuff, it makes me feel old." The blond said through a smile as the children chuckled and made jabs along the lines of 'but you are old.'

"Now today we're going to work on the basics. I'll check to make sure all of you are properly laced up and then the older kids will be running around the pitch five times and then going through some basic dribbling drills. While the younger kids will work on passing to each other and will run two laps around the field. After that we will take a break for lunch then resume class with a scrimmage with the older kids and younger kids being divided into two equal teams. I will asses you over the next few weeks and we will get a list together of who will play what position, but of course I want to hear your input as well. Are we clear?" 

A mixed chorus of "yes, coach!" and "yes, Marco!" met the blond's ears in response to his instructions, which caused a grin to form on his lips. He hadn't picked up on anyone being defiant as of yet, and he was sincerely hoping that would continue. After he did a quick role call and gear check, (and had a few words with Robert's nephew, Dominik -who seemed less than eager to leave the Dortmund's scout side-) Marco sent the kids on their way. 

He watched the children, his team, run around the field with a mix of hope and a pang of jealously. There were a few kids who caught his attention as they sprinted around the pitch but he had to wonder if their pace would be the same when a ball was at their feet. At some point, Robert sat down in the technical area's dugout and began to take notes. Marco tried to ignore the feeling of the scout's piercing blue eyes raking over him from time to time. 

But for some odd reason, he couldn't. And even though the day warmed up and the sun finally came out from behind the clouds, Marco found himself shivering. 

-

Marco blew his whistle after an hour and a half of watching the kids go through their drills -him having to assist a few, of course. Lunch was something the blond was looking forward to greatly considering he hadn't eaten anything earlier in the day, and for the fact that he could finally sit down. His ankle throbbed against the brace that he had slipped on earlier in the day. And he was sure that when he took it off, his foot would balloon and wouldn't allow for him to walk much further. 

He reminded himself that he only had an hour and a half before he could get home and rest it, though that thought did little to comfort him. It was grueling. The pain was something that still concerned him, despite being reassured that it was normal by the doctor. In all reality, he was supposed to wear an air cast; but refused to do so. Though his doctor didn't know about that bit of information. 

He watched the kids chatter away as they munched on whatever food their parents packed for them, and he would be lying if he didn't say a small smile formed on his lips. He was happy they were all excited and making friends already; especially considering that they were only in the start of the training and that they would all be working together for many more months to come. Marco remembered making several friends in his first football academy, some even grew to be world class professional footballer's but that was something he didn't want to think about. 

He lost contact with them at some point, though he couldn't pin point an exact moment in time. They all played for different universities and if that wasn't enough, some went off to England and others moved to far away cities to apply their trade. Marco was bitter about it. Thinking that it should be him with his name up in lights...or in this case, on the back of a club's jersey. 

His eyes eventually fell on young Dominik, who was whispering something to Robert with such enthusiasm that the dark haired man seemed eager to return it. Marco watched on silently as he pulled a bag of crisps out of his bag. Dominik pointed in the blond's direction a moment later, causing the man to quickly avert his gaze and focus on the annoying task of opening said bag.

"Uhm...M-Marco?" 

Marco lifted his head with a kind smile as Dominik wiggled his fingers back and forth nervously, almost unsure if he was allowed to approach the coach in such a manner. 

"What can I do for you, kiddo?" He said with the most sincerity he could muster as he reached up to shield the sun from his eyes. The young boy smiled nervously and in that moment Marco could see the family resemblance as clear as day. Dominik had Robert's hair color and their eyes were a dead on match. Throw in the same facial structure and the exact same nose, and one could believe that this little boy was really Robert's son, not his nephew. Marco made a mental note to ask if Robert and his sister were twins. 

"Well...Uncle Lewy wants to ask you to have lunch with us...you look sad by yourself." 

Marco's mouth fell open slightly, a feeling of sheer disappointment flooded his head. _How selfish of me to sit around and mope...this day is what these kids have waited for all year...and here I am acting like an idiot. Even a six year old's noticed that something's wrong with me..._

"Sure, I'd love too." The blond said warmly as he grabbed his things and painstakingly climbed up to his feet, pushing the pain and frustration aside as he took Dominik's extended hand. "And...I'm not sad. So don't worry about me, okay? Just focus on having fun." 

"I'm already having fun," was Dominik's quick and flat reply, and for the first time in his life Marco was glad kids were brutally honest. Once they sat down next to Robert, who was apparently "more than happy to have the company", they finished eating in relative peace. Though Marco would continue to catch the glances Robert would give him out of the corner of his eye, and anytime he was sure the scout wasn't looking...he would steal his own. 

\- 

"Have a good day everyone!"

Marco waved with mock enthusiasm as he watched the kids and parents all but fade away into the tunnel leading away from the pitch. He plopped down in the technical area when they were all gone, save for Robert and Dominik who were waiting on the latter's fashionably late mother. 

He ran his hands along the sides of his jeans as he desperately tried to preoccupy his thoughts with something that was excruciating pain. And almost as if on cue, someone again pulled him out of his head. It was a female voice yelling something in a language he recognized as Polish, he wasn't surprised when it was Robert's sister; looking as flustered as ever. Robert, even from a distance, looked completely annoyed.

The pair went through a quick exchange before the woman and Dominik, who waved happily at Marco, disappeared into the same exit the others had used a few moments prior. And once again, Marco found that only he and Robert remained on the grassy terrain. 

"We always seem to meet like this. Either I'm late, you're zoned out, or my sister is late." Robert called with a laugh as he took long strides towards where Marco was seated on the bench. The blond patted the empty seat beside him, one the brunette was willing to take. 

"Seems like it, it's only been two days and we've already become repetitive." Marco said smugly as he worked on loosening the laces on his sneakers, partially for comfort reasons and the other half coming out of a need for some room for his swollen foot to 'breathe'. 

"Let me," Robert instructed when he saw Marco wince and fumble with the ties, and as reluctant as the young coach was, he eventually gave way into the scout's demand and laid his feet across the other mans lap. He watched the taller man make quick work of loosening his shoe, and he was slightly amazed that he did so exactly where it was hurting. But then he remembered what he had seen the night before. Robert probably had his own experience with things as trivial as a shoe being too tight on an injury. _God, his injury was awful._

"You know I think you're really brave..." Marco blabbed out without thinking about it first, to which Robert responded with only a second's hesitation before he finished tying the blond's shoe laces. 

"Oh? And why's that?" Robert answered coolly as he patted the top of Marco's shoes, signaling that he was finished. The blond didn't move away from him.

"When your leg broke...you didn't even cry about it like I did...you tried to walk it off." Marco said with awe as he recalled the extended video he had stumbled upon. Compared to his own reaction to injury, Robert handled it with sheer grace. 

"I think I was in shock, I honestly didn't want to believe it happened...but then I tried to get up and realized that my knee cap was no longer facing the proper direction and that I should probably just let people help me." The Dortmund scout said with a chuckle, one that didn't really match the context of such a heavily weighted statement, though he didn't seem to mind the irony. "It didn't even hurt until they laid me on that awful stretcher, then I think the shock wore off and I realized that that could very well be the end for me." 

"And it was...?" Marco pushed, knowing the answer already but wanting to hear the darker haired man say it. He wanted to hear that someone else had been in his _boots_ , he needed to hear that he wasn't the only one who had to go through such a trauma. But what he didn't want to see was Robert's brilliant smile falter. It was only for a moment, but the beautiful curve of his lips turned down in that small span of time and Marco felt incredibly guilty for it.

"Yeah, it was." 

The words were spoken calmly, though the brunette looked anything but composed. Marco reached out and put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him, much like the dark haired man had done for him already. He felt compelled to do so for reasons that were unfathomable to the blond himself. He chalked it up to fear of ruining another potential friendship. 

After his injury he shut everyone out. 

His friends, team mates, and family became enemies for reasons the blond couldn't identify; but he knew one thing for certain. Seeing familiar faces caused him a deep resounding pain, something far worse then the grave incident he had once been a part of. The familiarity of the people's face made him feel sick to his stomach. He knew they had tried to comfort him, tried to reassure him and tell him everything was going to be all right; but that wasn't something he was going to buy.

It hurt to see the people who had once cheered you on, once put every faith in you, try to remind you that you were going to be okay. That they needed you to have faith in them and their words. It was something Marco couldn't bring himself to do. So he shut them out. Ignored his friends when they came by his apartment, ignored the phone calls and cards they sent with sincerity. And in turn he lost them all by refusing to believe that what they had said was right. 

He wasn't sure what the connection he felt to Robert was, he just knew that it gave him a feeling of understanding and sympathy. Likely stemming from the fact that the dark haired man had at least practiced what he preached. He had lost everything and yet he found a way to make a new _everything_ , something he was trying to tell Marco to do as well. The blond actually listened to him, though. Unlike he had with family and friends, but he reasoned that it was due to the fact that Robert at least knew what he was going through. 

Whereas everyone else who told him to _hang in there,_ or _you'll do something great with your live, regardless,_ had no life experience with it. Robert actually had done those things. He may have lost his career in football, but he made a new one for himself and though Marco doubted he was as happy as he had been; it was undeniable that the Dortmund scout did radiate a vibe of positivity. Even after everything.

"I guess that was rude of me, I apologize," Marco murmured under his breath. A small flashback of how he reacted to the older parent's acquisition of his career creeped into his head. He wasn't proud of it.

"Nonsense, if talking about it makes you feel better about coping with your own vices then I'll be obliged. I know it's not like we know each other very well, but I had watched you for quite some time. And I feel like I know you well enough to speak of such things..." Robert placed a hand over the blond's sneakers that still laid out in his lap. Marco felt his face heat up at the contact. 

"Well...thank you..." the blond said earnestly as he tightened his grip on the brunette's shoulder. Robert simply smiled.

"No, thank you for letting me come out here and observe. You did a great job with these kids today, and there's definitely a few here that I'll have to keep an eye on." Robert carefully scooped up the blond's legs and placed them on the ground. "Can you walk?" 

"Of course," Marco scoffed in defiance at the question as he propelled himself off of the bench and onto his wobbly legs. He ignored the dull throbs. 

"Well, I've got a meeting at four o'clock with Klopp. Do you have a schedule of the next practice times and dates?" Robert asked as he took the first steps towards the tunnel, Marco lamely limped along beside him.

"Uh, yeah, they're in my backpack. Second pocket, you can grab one if you want." The blond stopped walking and turned around so the brunette could retrieve said item, which the latter did after a few moments of wrestling with the pouches' zipper. 

"Thanks, I guess I'll be seeing you in two days...then you have the five days straight of practice, yeah?" 

"Mhm, that's the plan. One more practice with a two day span inbetween, then three days after that it's training for five days in a row. Three hours a day." Marco answered thoughtfully as they continued to walk down the dark claustrophobic tunnel. 

"All right, sounds good to me." Robert answered as they finally arrived at the exit and made their way outside of the structures' front doors towards the parking lot. The sun blinding them momentarily as their eyes needed a moment to transition from the darkness.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later." Marco said quietly as he dug his keys out of his pocket and locked the door of the training facility behind him. Robert nodded his head and unlocked his car, an all black Audi that Marco nearly drooled over. 

"Yeah, oh and Marco?" Robert questioned as the scout pushed a pair of sunglasses over his eyes, the blond looked at him expectantly. "Call me if you ever need anything or if you just want to talk. My card has my work cell on it, and my personal number is on the back. Don't hesitate to contact me for any reason. Even if you just want to talk to me some more." Marco smirked at the last sentence as it was said so smugly he had to fight the urge to laugh. Robert apparently felt the same way seeing as he let out a chuckle of his own.

"Will do, have a good day, Robert." 

"You too, Reus." 

Marco left then. His old Volkswagen seemed to be running smoother than it had been, which only added to the lighter mood he was sporting after his _strange_ encounter with the Dortmund scout. Somehow, he felt a bit lighter in general; it wasn't just his mood. Even though he had been terrified to start his new job he actually felt as if it had gone okay.

The kids had fun, learned a lot already, and Marco would be damned if he didn't say that he had a good time, too. Suddenly things didn't seem as bleak as they had once before, and though he knew it was too soon to say anything else to the dark haired man, Robert's business card burned a hole in his pocket. 

_Don't hesitate to contact me for any reason._

Marco would definitely take that advice to heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments/kudos are always appreciated and rewarded with faster updates. 
> 
> ;)


	3. Déjà Vu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weather makes things difficult, Marco has a blast from the past and Robert has a proposal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't had time to edit this so ignore all the errors, okay? :P
> 
> Anyway, I won't rant about this much, so just enjoy!

On what would've been the second day of practice, it stormed. Leaving Marco with no other choice other than calling it off. He was disappointed, considering they had only just begun their practicing, and also for the fact that now he had nothing to do. If it had been a drizzle, then maybe he would've told everyone to come, but the loud cracks of thunder and the long streams of lightening that cascaded from the sky left his options limited. He couldn't risk someone getting hurt, after all he was in charge of his team's health and well being. 

Day time television was nothing that appealed to Marco, and save for a few football games of teams he didn't support, there was nothing on. After glancing through Netflix, only to find that nothing new had been added he opted to skim through his collection of DVD's and home movies, desperate to find something to watch to preoccupy him.

It was then that he found a disc that was covered in dust from months of sitting undisturbed on his television stand. It was a compilation of football career, and though he knew he shouldn't watch it, he felt compelled to put the disc in the player. And with some reluctance, he did. 

He found a smile grow on his face as a then ten year old Marco ran around the field with purpose while the other kids struggled to keep up. His pace had been a key factor in his breakout to excellence, and as the tape went on and the years flew by by the minute it was evident that he was miles above both his team mates and the opposition. He had truly been a modern marvel. He just wished that he could go back. 

And then came the moment he was not ready to see, the moment he had purposely avoided watching for the last six months. It was his final game. He watched as he stood back to take the free kick, counting the steps as he did so until he got to five. He watched himself on the screen as he put the ball, that curved beautifully, into the top left corner. His celebration was goofy he thought now, but he knew there was no better feeling in the world. Scoring a winning goal in any situation was amazing, but scoring in the championship match was completely different.

He steeled himself for what he knew came two minutes and twenty one seconds later. He was on the ball, dribbling with ease past defenders until only one blocked his path and then it happened. The bigger man on the television knew he was beat but went into the tackle with venom, his spikes raised as he made contact with Marco's ankle, that snapped like a twig. 

Marco watched himself writhe on the ground, scream and clutch his foot as if it was the most painful thing in the world, but for the blond it had been the worst pain he had ever felt until that time. Marco now knew better, the worst pain in the world was having your dreams taken from you, not an injury. 

He watched himself get taken off on a stretcher, hands covering his face though tears were still ever so present. It was then that the camera panned into the crowd, and Marco felt his jaw drop. There on his TV screen was the Dortmund scout he had become acquainted with. Marco reached for the remote and hit the pause button, studying Robert's expression as he moved to sit on his coffee table. 

Robert hadn't been lying when he said that he was there on that day because there he was, a grave expression on his face as he clutched a clipboard to his chest, Marco noticed the BVB emblem on the back of it. He forced himself to turn the DVD player off and sit in silence as he listened to the rain and thunder rage on outside of his home, Marco suddenly didn't feel like sitting around. 

With some reluctance, he pulled his wallet out of his pocket and retrieved the business card Robert had given to him earlier in the week. And with even more reluctance, he typed the number into his phone and sent a simple text message letting the receiver know who it was. The blond sighed and relaxed into his couch, his hands clasped over his chest as he waited eagerly for a return message. 

It wasn't like he was entirely desperate for communication with the Dortmund scout, though he would truly enjoy getting to know the lovely dark haired man. But it was more out of a need for communication with someone, anyone at all. After having shut everyone out of his life, he no longer spoke to anyone except a few of his neighbors and his childhood friend Mario Götze, who had gone pro after their successful season at their University. But it wasn't like they talked often, Mario had his own life, own career, and a girlfriend who was very demanding of attention.

So yeah, Marco was lonely. 

A text message finally came through after a short span of time that the blond spent in a trance like state. The quick vibrations from his phone being the only thing to snap him out of his daydreams. He had been having a lot of those lately and was unsure as to why they kept happening, but it wasn't like he could control it. Sitting up on his elbows, he grabbed his phone off of his chest and unlocked it to see what the Dortmund scout had written.

**From: Robert Lewandowski**

**Hey, Marco. Lovely weather we're having isn't it? I wasn't sure if you were going to have practice today, though I doubted it, but I winded up coming to the stadium anyway...**

Marco felt his face flush, he forgot that he was also in charge of reminding Robert when practices were canceled. He could only wonder how long the scout had been sitting in his car waiting for an answer. He even felt bad for making him drive around with the weather being as bad as it was. 

**To: Robert Lewandowski**

**I'm so sorry...I forgot to tell you I canceled it for the day. I promise I'll let you know next time, I hope you're not mad at me.**

Marco relaxed back into the couch and grabbed a blanket that hung from the back of it, it was times like these that he wondered why his apartment complex was always cold. The rain just made it worse. This time around, Robert was quick to text back.

**From: Robert Lewandowski**

**Oh, I'm not mad at you, not at all! Well since the weather is so gross...I think I'm going to grab some lunch, soup sounds amazing right now. Do you maybe want to come with me? I have a few things I'd like to talk to you about. If you're not comfortable with that or if you're busy then I understand...**

Marco felt his face grow hot as he read the words over and over again. He hated to think of Robert as anyone other than a current colleague, but he couldn't help himself. As foolish as it sounded, he felt a connection to the dark haired man. He presumed it was because of how similar their lives had been, well lives meaning careers, but it was also quite calming for the blond. He liked Robert's company, as fleeting and short as it was; and he was hopeful of befriending the man...at least. 

**To: Robert Lewandowski**

**Yeah, sure.**

**From: Robert Lewandowski**

**Do you want me to meet you there or would you prefer if I picked you up? Four wheel drive might sound nicer to you then driving your compact car. It is slick out here today. Haha.**

_Four wheel drive? How many cars does he have?_

Marco was a bit of a car fanatic save for the fact that he drove a piece of junk, but he wouldn't pass up the opportunity to see more beautiful vehicles. If Robert's Audi was anything to go by, he presumed his SUV was of equal or even better standards. He wouldn't say that was the only reason why he agreed to have Robert pick him up, because it wasn't, but it would be the only one he would admit aloud. 

He told Robert to pick him up at the Highlands Apartment Complex in exactly twenty minutes. That way Robert had time to get there and that way Marco had time to leave his own _shitty_ complex and walk down the road to the other. Like hell would he admit that he was struggling, and like hell would he let Robert see it.

\- 

Exactly twenty minutes later, Robert pulled around the corner in a beautiful matte black Range Rover, one Marco was sure cost more than everything he owned combined. The blond ducked into the rain from under the apartment complexes' cover and dashed to the passenger seat, Robert smiling as he slid inside.

"Heated seats? This truck is a dream." Marco said with a smirk as he peeled the hood of his parka off of his head, Robert chuckled and nodded his head as he pulled the vehicle back onto the road.

"Mhm, they come in handy. My ass gets cold from sitting in the technical area all day." 

Marco let out a chuckle at the sheer bluntness of the statement as he made himself comfortable and strapped the seat belt around him. Robert guided the truck down the slick roads with ease, pointing out different restaurants, to which the blond responded that he didn't mind where they ate. He just hoped it was something cheap, his wallet was wearing a bit too thin for his liking.

They eventually settled on a small deli about ten minutes from Marco's _apartment complex_. After the vehicle was parked, the pair dashed inside the establishment, eager to get out of the weather that seemed to grow worse by the moment. After speaking with the hostess, they were given a booth in the back of the establishment and menus. 

"Someone will be with you shortly." The hostess promised as she waltzed in between the tables and back to her hostess stand. A waiter came and took their drink orders, allowing the two time to decide on what they wanted for lunch. After their orders were placed, Robert clasped his hands on the table, eying Marco warily.

"So..." the blond began as he mirrored the other man's actions. "What did you want to talk to me about?" 

"Well, I spoke with Klopp and he and I have come to an agreement. Depending on how well your team does, next season Klopp would like for you to be an apprentice of sorts under him, if that all goes well then he wants to try and bring you on board at Dortmund as a coach. You may have to start with the reserve team, but I thought we could at least discuss it." Robert answered with an honest smile as he grabbed his water and took a long swig from the glass. Marco stared at him in awe.

"You stuck your neck out for me and you don't even know if I'm decent at coaching? Excuse me for saying this, but what on earth is wrong with you?" 

Robert chuckled as he sat down his glass, his usual charming smile pulling on his lips as he looked Marco in the eyes. 

"Nothings wrong with me, I just know potential when I see it. That is kind of my job, remember?" At this, Marco blushed and hung his head in embarrassment. "And besides, remember I did tell you that reading the game has a lot to do with coaching. The way you worked with those kids the other day was something marvelous to watch. You live and breathe this, Marco. I can see it in your eyes and even if it's only been one day I can see it in your work. I have faith in you, I have since I saw you play two years ago, and even when you played your last match I knew that that wouldn't be the last I saw of you." 

Marco raised his head, a neutral expression on his face though his eyes were widened in shock. _Why is he putting his neck out for me? Why does he have this much faith in me? I don't even believe in myself half of the time._

"You really think that?" He murmured as the waiter came back by and sat their food in front of him. Robert nodded his head and thanked the man before answering the blond's inquisition. 

"Absolutely. I know you don't know me, but I have technically known you for several years. This may sound creepy, but I know everything about your career." Marco again found himself blushing at the thought. "You have what it takes, I just have a feeling about it. But is this something you'd like to do or do you need time to consider?" 

"No, this is something I want to do." Marco insisted as he took a bite of the pasta he had placed in front of him, Robert nodded kindly. 

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. I look forward to working with you." 

"Yeah, me too." 

And God, did Marco mean it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments/kudos = motivation. 
> 
> If you leave something I'll be inclined to update faster. ;)


	4. Home Is Where The Heart Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marco has to deal with an injury, Robert wants the blond to come to a meeting with him, and the former has to face an old demon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Would you believe me if I told you I got another concussion? You would? Good, 'cause it's true. So I needed a few days to not feel like death in order for me to write. I'll try to stop hitting my head and start updating more regularly. I swear to it. Anyway, enjoy!

"All right, now I want you eleven to be the white team and the other eleven of you will be the orange team. We will have 15 minute halves, and I will let you pick what field positions you want to play. Gloves are set up by the goals, and there is an extra bag of balls behind them as well. Alex, Stephan, you two will be team captains. Now you have two minutes to find out how you want to do this. Let's go." 

Marco blew the whistle as he waltzed backwards towards the touchline, watching as his two designated captains talked over who would play in what position. Somewhere behind him he heard a shuffle of papers, and he spared a glance back at Robert as the brunette wrote down a few notes. 

"Alex has good leadership qualities," the scout said as if he was aware that the coach was watching on. Marco made a noise of acknowledgment before blowing the whistle for a second time, signaling to his team that the game needed to begin. And begin it did. Marco watched on with hawk like eyes, acting as both the referee and the linesmen as he blew the whistle for fouls and for offside calls. 

It was when Stephan got on the ball and made an advance towards goal that Alex went in with a sliding challenge, something Marco had told only the older kids to execute on the other older kids if they felt it was necessary. But the tackle was rough, and Marco didn't need to be right in front of the pair to know that the ball wasn't played and that instead, it was Stephan's ankle that caught the full force of it. 

The scream of pain sent Marco flying towards the boy, who Alex was knelled down next too consoling and apologizing profusely as he held onto the other boy's arm. Marco ordered that the other kids get away from him while he assessed the situation. 

Stephan's ankle was swollen already but showed no signs of being broken, and no signs of any ligament damage, from which he could tell anyway. But still, the pain on the boys face was gut wrenching and with a heavy heart Marco scooped him up in his arms and brought him towards the technical area. When he hit the halfway point on the pitch he noticed Robert was keeping the team together and talking to them whilst holding his nephew and speaking with Alex, who looked truly remorseful. 

"Please watch them while I call his parents," Marco pleaded as he sad the boy on a chair in the dugout. Robert nodded in understanding, and kept smiling and reassuring the others.

"It hurts...but I'm okay." Stephan whispered as he took off his shin guard, Marco looked at him in shock. 

"Stephan, I still need to call your parents so they can take you to the doctor." The blond stated as he grabbed his cell phone and looked for the last name Mueller. "Don't be too mad at Alex, you know he didn't mean it." He said as he selected the contact and hit call.

"I'm not mad, football is a contact sport. These things happen." 

Marco didn't get time to respond as Stephan's mom picked up the phone before he could. Though he did have to say that the young boy was quite understanding and intellectual for someone only eleven years old. The blond quickly explained the situation to the somewhat frantic woman on the phone, who was acting more like Marco had told her that her son had been killed then injured. But he never understood parent's fierce protectiveness, anyway.

He sat with Stephan until his mom arrived, and at that time other parents were there to pick up their children as well. Next week was the week of their first match, they had practice on Tuesday and Thursday and a game on Saturday; the five consecutive days of practice having come to a close on the current day. 

He apologized to Stephan's mother about the incident, but she was less angry and more eager to get her son to the doctor then anything. Stephan gave Marco an apologetic smile as he was ushered into the tunnel by his mom who helped him along the way. Robert's sister actually showed up on time, much to the blond's surprise, to pick up Dominik; who waved eagerly at the blond as his mother carried him towards the exit. 

And not for the first time, or even the fifth time for that matter, Robert and Marco were officially the only two left on the field. The blond checked his watch, which read 1:30 P.M in bright neon, before sauntering over to the brunette. Robert glanced at him sympathetically. 

"You look shaken up," he noted as Marco stopped a few feet in front of him, a neutral expression on his face. The blond merely shrugged. 

"Yeah, it scared me for a second. I am responsible for these kids after all..." he said lowly as he folder his arms across his chest. "Thanks for helping me out there...I don't know how I could have handled that if you hadn't been there."

"Oh, it's no problem." Robert said with an honest smile as he approached the blond, arms out stretched. Marco raised an eyebrow.

"What? You just look like you need a hug." The Dortmund scout teased as he took another step forward. The blond rolled his eyes as he dropped his arms and walked into the embrace. Robert's arms encircled him, holding him close in a comforting way. Marco snuck his arms around the brunette loosely as he buried his face in his neck. He couldn't fight the blush that rose to his cheeks. And he couldn't ignore the fact that Robert smelled of his favorite Hugo Boss cologne, though he would never comment on it.

"That freaked you out, didn't it?" Robert said as he dropped his arms from Marco's waist and instead held him at arms length, the blond hung his head in order to hide the red that tinted his cheeks. 

"A little bit, yeah." He admitted quietly, his eyes focused on his tennis shoes and more particularly his ankle. "I just..."

"You don't have to explain yourself, Marco. I know that must have been hard for you." Robert said kindly as his grip tightened on the blond's shoulder, Marco didn't dare to lift his head. 

He couldn't quite explain how Robert and him had become friends so quickly. But between the lunch they grabbed last week and the dinner they grabbed every night the week after that it had happened they become quiet close. Robert was sincere, and honest; not to mention eager to help and give Marco advice on things when he needed it. 

The blond appreciated it to no end. 

For once in the last six months he didn't feel completely alone, and though he knew that Robert's company was currently own temporary, he was hopeful that they would be friends long after the scout's work was done. That's not to say that they wouldn't be friends if Marco got a job offer to work for Dortmund, but that was contingent on the blond's team having a good season. And though he was confident of his player's abilities, he was yet to test his own.

Coaching was fifty percent about the tactics and fifty percent about the player's abilities. Marco had always known that much but being on the other side of the fifty percent was still something he was unfamiliar with. And even though Robert was no coach, he worked first hand with Jurgen Klopp, and that was reason enough to listen to him. 

"Do you want to grab dinner?" Marco finally said as he looked up and looked the brunette in the eyes, his heart skipping a beat as he took in the sight of the piercing blue color. There was no doubt in the blond's mind that that brilliant blue was now his favorite color.

"Well I actually can't today, I have a meeting with Klopp..." Robert said with a sigh as he dropped his hands from Marco's shoulders. "Well...perhaps you'd like to come with me? I can call him and ask if that's all right. He should be pretty keen on meeting you, though."

"Oh, Robert, you don't have to do that." Marco insisted as he kicked a part of the turf that came up from the ground. "Seriously, that's just going to be a hassle for you." 

"Not at all, Mars. Just let me call him really quickly, okay?" 

Marco blushed at the nickname he was given, but winded up giving in to the brunette's request.

"Okay...if it's not a big deal then I will go." The coach answered while Robert politely excused himself and called his boss. Marco would be lying if he didn't say that he was nervous, because he was borderline terrified. He wanted to impress people, that was something he had always wanted but he wasn't sure how Klopp would feel about him.

Granted, it was a well known fact that the Dortmund coach wanted Marco on his team but since that was no longer plausible; the latter had to wonder whether or not Jurgen would maybe have him as an apprentice. Robert had said that Klopp was eager to bring him on board, but that didn't mean everything was set in stone. He still had to hold up his part of the deal, and his team still had to succeed. 

A few moments later, Robert approached him with a happy smile on his face, and waved him into the tunnel as a silent way of saying that Klopp didn't mind him attending. Marco followed the order without a second thought. 

"You're either still shaken up or you're nervous..." Robert commented as Marco locked the glass door of the center behind them, the blond grunted and slid the keys into his pocket.

"Maybe both, I guess." He said with a shrug as he sauntered towards his car that was parked a few spots down from Robert's. The brunette let out a chuckle and held his arms up in the air. 

"What are you doing? You can ride with me." Marco felt a frown pull on his lips. 

"Just because my cars a piece of shit doesn't mean I mind driving it, you know?" 

He didn't know where the sudden burst of agitation came from but he instantly regretted it. Robert didn't say anything as he lowered his arms, and Marco was surprised he didn't lash out in retaliation. But instead, Robert shut his car door and walked over to Marco's, his hand pulling on the passenger side door. 

"Well? Let's go then. We don't want to be late." 

With wide eyes, Marco looked at him. Robert didn't even appear to be phased. His eyes were as kind as they had always been and a small smile grew on his lips when the blond unlocked his car. The blond slid into the driver's seat and for a moment was thankful that he had _cleaned_ his car. As he pulled onto the road towards the direction Robert told him to go, he cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry about that, I don't know where that came from." Marco admitted as he turned down the street towards Signal Iduna Park, Robert didn't make a sound. "I hope you're not mad at me." 

"Mad? Of course not. I just think you misunderstood me. I didn't want to be rude and expect you to drive us anywhere. Especially not when I invited you. I hope _you're_ not mad at me." Robert announced with a nervous chuckle as he opened up his bag and retrieved a key card to the front entrance.

"No...I'm not mad. Like I said...I don't know why I said that. It's just been a rough day. That doesn't mean I should have taken that out on you, though." The driver responded as he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. He bit his lip as he fought off the slightest feeling of guilt.

"Oh, please Marco. I can take it, I'm a big boy. Words don’t bother me and besides, I know you're not like that." Marco felt his heart race quicken, as he got closer to the stadium. He wasn't sure if it was because he was close to meeting Jurgen Klopp or because Robert was possibly the most sincere, understanding person he had ever met. Not to mention that he seemed to also be the calmest person in the world. Marco had to wonder if anything pissed him off or got under his skin. 

He just hoped he wasn't one of those things.

"Just park in the back, we're going into the offices. The team may be training here but I'm honestly not sure...I haven't checked my schedule. But all that means is we'd have to go down there and get him." Robert explained as they pulled into the lot, Marco gulped. "Relax, Mars. Klopp is a good guy, and he's really excited to meet you." 

"What if I say the wrong thing or he doesn't like me?" Marco muttered as he pulled his car into a spot next to several other vehicles, all of which we're just as nice, if not nicer, then Robert's. The blond suddenly felt self conscious and wished he had let Robert drive after all. _Why'd I have to go and open my big mouth?_

"Nonsense! He's going to love you. It's not too often that he get's to truly sit down and discuss the mechanics and the tactics of the game, and trust me, he loves to do just that. The moment you two start talking he's going to want you on board." Robert reassured him as he got out of the car, the blond was relieved when the scout waited for him. 

The pair walked towards the doors, and it was then that Marco felt a horrible rush of anxiety and dread. But it wasn't exactly for the reason he thought, initially anyway. 

"Robert...wait." He whispered as the brunette held open the glass door, the latter shot him a confused look.

"Marco, it's okay. You don't need to be so nervous. I'm here with you too, you're gonna be fine. I'll see to it." Robert promised with sincerity and sympathy as he held out his hand in hopes the blond would take it so they could get on their way. But Marco didn't move.

"It's not that...it's just...I haven't been here since before it all happened..." He whispered with regret. He swore to himself he would never go back to that place for the sole reason that he didn't know whether or not he could handle it. He had wanted to play for Dortmund more than he wanted air, but since that was no longer a viable option he wasn't sure about the place he once thought felt like home.

He grew up in that stadium. Standing high up in the Südtribüne, chanting, singing and cheering on with the other fans as he watched _his_ team succeed and as he watched them fail. He had always wanted to give something back to the place that had given so much to him. And now that he had another opportunity to do it, he needed a moment to process the fact that the vow he took after his injury, to never come back to that place, would be nothing more than a lie.

He wished he hadn't have said it to begin with. His bones ached for him to take the few steps forward into the building just as much as his heart yearned to see that place again. So with nothing more than a slight bit of reluctance, Marco took Robert's hand and headed into the place he had always called home.


	5. Chances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The meeting gets underway, Klopp likes Marco, Robert's presence is needed, and Marco's resolve stresses his dire situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really pissed because I had this written out, but then my laptop decided to get a virus and I had to factory reset it. Ergo, I lost everything. This is not at all long, and I apologize. The second part should be up tomorrow, seeing as I have to re-write it... I blame my laptop. asdfghjkl

"Hey Kloppo!" 

Robert waved enthusiastically at the older man as he dropped Marco's hand. The latter blushed when the player's on the training ground all turned to look at the duo. He couldn't help but feel nervous.

Klopp waved the pair over as he directed what Marco believed to be an assistant coach to continue the training. Robert nodded in the blond's direction before taking long strides forward, and with some reluctance and anxiety, Marco followed the brunette blindly. He had to wonder if he looked like a lost puppy. He seriously hoped he didn't.

"Robert, is this Mr. Reus?" 

Marco paled when Jurgen pointed at him, he was never the best with introductions; and considering this was someone he idolized to no end the nervousness he felt magnified tenfold. Luckily, Robert took the initiative in the conversation, giving the blond time to recover. 

"Yes, sir. This is Marco Reus." Robert confirmed as the younger coach stuck out his hand. Jurgen calmly shook it, a smile on his face as he did so.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Reus. It's a pleasure, actually. Robert thinks very highly of you so I've been eager to meet you." 

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Klopp. And please, call me Marco." The blond responded with a shaky breath when the older man dropped retracted his hand. 

"Marco it is then, and please, just call me Klopp or Kloppo. The "Mr." part is a bit too professional for a man who wears track suits."

Marco chuckled when the Dortmund coach laughed at his own joke, and because of this the blond felt himself become less anxious. Robert winked at him when their eyes met, and from that the youngest male hoped that meant everything was going well thus far. Marco felt like it was, anyway.

"Klopp, do you want me to leave you and Marco to discuss business?" Robert inclined as he clasped his hands together behind his back, seemingly oblivious to the intense stare Marco shot at him. 

"Do as you please, Lewy. You know there are no secrets here." Klopp said with a smile as he placed a hand on the small of Marco's back, the other extending towards the tunnel. "Either way, let's continue this talk in my office." 

"Marco..." Robert called as the blond and the Dortmund coach headed into the tunnel. The youngest male turned his head and looked back. "Do you want me to come with you?" 

Marco bit his lip. On one hand he would feel a lot more comfortable if the scout went with them, but on the other he didn't want to look incompetent by asking him to tag along either. So with a wink, he answered the question.

"It's up to you," he said with mock conviction, turning back around as he did so. Surely enough, he heard footsteps behind him and Klopp a moment later. 

"I'll tag along, I don't want to be bored." Robert said with a laugh, one the other two shared heartily. 

"Robert get's bored in a matter of moments, Marco. Don't be surprised when you turn around at practice and he's passed out in the technical area." Jurgen joked with a chuckle. Marco returned it with fervor when the brunette scout tried to defend himself. 

"I do not! Jurgen you're so cruel to me," Robert teased as they came to a door with the Dortmund coaches' name engraved into it. 

"Now, now. No need to get feisty. Let's get down to business...shall we?" 

Marco stared at the door as it swung open, and with a little shove from Robert he entered the room. He said a silent prayer when he sat down in the chair, and Jurgen sat across from him. 

_Why am I this nervous? It's not like my life depends on this._ He thought to himself as he slid his coat off of his shoulders, his keys falling to the floor as he did so. When his fingertips brushed against the crooked metal of the ancient car key he couldn't help but think about all of the things he needed to have replaced in his life. 

His apartment he would need to abandon all together. The leaky roof, the cracked tiles, warped wood and the broken sink in the bathroom were just a few things that were wrong with the place he called _home._

His car got horrible gas mileage, had no air conditioner and no heat, and probably wouldn't survive another year after the distance counter rolled over 150k kilometers. And yet again, that was just one of his worries. 

The real thing that scared Marco was his quality of life. He scraped to get by. Sold everything he had worth of value to to pay the bills, and the coaching job of an under twelve team only paid so much. His bank account was ghastly, and his pantry was almost empty. He was almost always stressed or hungry and most of the time he was both. 

So despite all of the nerves the statement brought on, he reminded himself that _this was his future_ and he had every right to be terrified. And when Klopp began to ask him questions and access his skill level, he felt like was going to throw up. 

But luckily for him the process was not too long. Klopp asked what the blond considered basic questions before moving into the more advanced ones. But even those were answered diligently and with confidence. And before Marco could even make himself comfortable, it was over and Klopp was handing him a business card.

"I like you, Marco. Your team does well this season and I'd be more than happy to have you on board here at Dortmund." 

"Thank you so much, I promise that I will not let you down." Marco said through a genuine smile as he shook the coaches' extended hand. 

"Robert will keep me updated on your progress, I'm sure. But call me if you ever need anything." Klopp said with a wave as the blond and the scout moved towards the exit.

"I will, thank you once again, Klopp. This means the world to me." 

\- - 

"I'm really proud of you." Robert said as they made their way back to the under twelve's training arena. Marco cast a glance at the dark haired man who smiled at him intently.

"Thank you, Robert. For all of this, I don't know what I would have done without you. You've really helped me a get a shot in life, and I don't think words can ever describe how much that means to me." Marco answered as he turned into the lot outside of the arena. He pulled his car right next to the brunette's.

"Well, I guess I will see you in the next few days." Robert announced as he gathered his things and made an exit from the vehicle. And for some reason Marco couldn't fathom he found himself throwing the car into park then exiting the vehicle himself. Before the brunette could even pick up on his presence he threw his arms around him. 

It was awkward, Marco thought as he buried his face in Robert's back, his arms secured around the older man's waist. But apparently the other man didn't feel the same way because in a moment's notice the scout had placed his things on the hood of his car and was turning around to give the blond a proper hug. 

"I'm sorry," Marco whispered absentmindedly, though he really was not sorry for his actions. No matter how abrupt and uncalled for that they were. Strong arms tightened around him in return, and he felt the brunette's head lay over tops of his when he buried his own into the larger man's chest. 

"I'm not, I'm glad you're happy. You deserve this and much more, Marco." The dark haired man said breathlessly as he rubbed up and down the small of the younger man's back. Marco couldn't pinpoint a cause, but his heart nearly skipped several beats.


	6. Home is Wherever I'm With You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is late and I have no excuse and I apologize. For those of you still reading this, hats off to you and I'm sorry I suck at updating now. :,C

"You did it! I'm so proud of you!" 

Marco swung Dominik around in the air before placing the boy back on the ground. He looked up at the blond with brilliant blue eyes, a smile on his face, and the match ball in his hands. Robert's nephew had scored the winning goal in their 1-0 win against a team that played just outside of the city. For the first game of the season the team played extremely well, or so Marco thought anyway.

Alas, a win was a win and that was something his team could take back to Dortmund. Marco glanced around the pitch and took in the sight of his team congratulating each other and the parents chatting with the others. He also kept his eyes on Robert who was parading around with his nephew hoisted high on his shoulders, both sporting ridiculous grins on their faces.

Marco felt a finger tap on his shoulder then, successfully pulling him out of his trance. He turned to face the man, who sported a black rain coat adorned with a certain yellow and black crest. The man smiled and reached out to shake his hand which was something Marco eagerly returned.

"Mr. Reus, it's a pleasure. My name is Thomas Schmidt; I’m here on behalf of Jurgen. He has tried to reach Mr. Lewandowski all day but was unsuccessful in doing so. Anyway, I just wanted to congratulate you and your team on behalf of Jurgen, he was keen on having extra eyes here today. He knew Robert would be preoccupied with his scouting duties so he asked me to pop in and watch you coach your boys." 

"Oh, he did now? Well I hope this was a good display then." Marco responded with a slight twinge of new found confidence, after all he had to be doing something right if he molded _his boys_ into a true team in just a few weeks time. Apparently Thomas thought the same thing as his face lit up.

"Of course, it was a well deserved win and your communication with your team is wonderful. I'm impressed that this is only the start of the season and that they are working so well together. We will be in touch, Mr. Reus. Here is my card and I assure you I will be back to watch you again." 

Marco took the business card he was offered before watching the man disappear from the field and out the stadium's exit. He found the exchange a bit unnerving, mainly because the man had emphasized that he would be watching _him_ at the upcoming matches and not his team. 

A part of him reasoned that it was a normal thing to say considering Robert's job was too watch the team and this man was clearly more interested in Marco himself, but he felt a strange tightening in his chest at the thought. _Why do I have to be so nervous all of the time? Why does everything scare me now?_

The wind kicked up as Marco stood on the pitch, watching the crowd dwindle as kids left with their families. Even Robert disappeared at some point and yet Marco felt grounded to the spot, unable to do anything but stare off into space. 

He was worried to some extent. He couldn't help but shake the constant shroud of dread that fell over him no matter where he went. It wasn't normal he concluded as he cast his multicolored eyes towards the darkening sky. 

He couldn't understand when he grew so tired of everything. He didn't comprehend why he should be on cloud nine but instead he was a distraught mess. His mood switched at the drop of a pin and it sickened him. He knew he wasn't well, knew something in his brain was not clicking into gear but he felt entirely helpless.

He hated relying so heavily on Robert's fleeting company for human interaction, but he realized then as he stood alone on the grass that without someone guiding him he was utterly lost. Sure he could do his job without help but that was out of need and passion. He didn't have such a view point when it came to the basic functions of life, no then he fell flat and failed. 

At some point the stadium's lights flickered off and it was only Marco standing in the dark. But no matter how hard he tried to move he couldn't.. He shook his head in a desperate attempt to break the spell of paralysis that had taken over him but no matter what he did he couldn't. 

He was horrified of what he had done to himself. Resorting to an acquaintances comfort and compassion was not something he was proud of but he honestly couldn't help himself. 

_I'm absolutely pathetic...I need to get out of here..._

He cursed the shaky steps he took towards the exit of the stadium and cursed the way the sun had gone down too quickly for his liking but most off all he cursed the tears that sprung to his eyes as he fiddled numbly with his car keys. Once inside his car he jammed the key into the ignition and turned it but seeing as fate seemed to be against him more than anything the car only shuddered before making a gut wrenching **pop.**

He cursed under his breath as he exited the rusty Volkswagen that now had a steady stream of smoke radiating from under the hood. He slipped his fingers under the surprisingly hot metal as he undid the latch and hoisted the hood over his head, a cloud of smoke hitting him as he did so.

"GOD DAMMIT!" He shrieked at no one in particular as he slammed his hands down on the car. He knew what it was with just a glance, the engine was blown and definitely not worth replacing considering the car wasn't even worth the cost of a new engine. "Can this year get any worse?" He yelled as he backed away from the car, his head tilting back as he looked up with angry eyes.

"Can you give me a fucking break? I'm trying, you know?" Marco shouted to whatever deity was listening to him as he threw his hands into the sky, tears flowing freely and staining his cheeks. 

"Need a hand?" 

Marco whipped his head around and fought back a noise of surprise when he his eyes fell on Robert who was leaning on his Range Rover, an apologetic smile on his face, one the blond could see even in the dark.

"I'm beginning to think you're stalking me," Marco said as he wiped his eyes. Robert was the last person he wanted to see when he was crying but at the same time he counted his lucky stars that the dark haired man always seemed to be in the right place at the _wrong_ time. 

"Not stalking, I was just concerned. I went to your apartment complex and asked for you because you weren't answering your phone but they said they didn't have you listed as one of their residents." Marco paled as a wave of regret pulsed through him, he hated lying and more importantly he hated being caught in a lie. "Marco...do you want to talk to me about anything? I'm getting kind of worried about you..."

Marco didn't say anything but instead stared at the Dortmund scout in absolute horror as the now familiar feeling of being out of control came back to him. He watched Robert's _beautiful_ smile falter until his lips were pressed into a thin line and even in the darkness the blond swore he saw the light in those bright blue eyes begin to fade away.

"Marco?"

"I..." The coach began but found himself at an utter loss of words so instead he reached his hand out in a desperate attempt to do something, anything he could to let the dark haired man know that yes, he was listening. And yes, he had a reason to be concerned. 

Robert approached him rather swiftly and before Marco could even register what was going on the brunette had pulled him into his strong arms and the blond was sobbing something fierce. He hated how out of control he was but for the life of him he couldn't stop. The only solace he got was Robert whispering sweet things in his ears until the sobs faded away and were replaced by silent, strangled cries of utter emotional agony. 

Marco didn't remember getting into the dark haired man's Range Rover and he didn't remember the drive that took him to a large home in a gated community. But he did remember Robert coming around to the passenger's side and helping him out of the car before he assorted him into the lavish home.

Once inside, Marco was glued to the Dortmund scout's side which was something he was thankful for in the end. Robert had him pulled onto his lap in a way that could be considered a bit more than a friendly gesture but Marco didn't mind because he was completely aware of how truly worried the darker haired man was. That and he would be lying if he didn't say he enjoyed the proximity. 

He found Robert completely intoxicating. It was as if the man was the most lethal poison in the world but Marco was addicted to his presence that he didn't _mind_ how much he relied on him. Despite the fact that he did. 

He hadn't felt something like that in a long time, and as Robert's cool hands rubbed up and down his back he had to wonder if the dark haired man could possibly feel the same. Marco had no idea what part of the city he was in and had no clue how far away from his _shitty_ apartment he was but for the first time in forever, as he sat on Robert's legs with his head buried in the crook of the man's neck he felt like he was safe. He felt like he was home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments/kudos are more than appreciated because I've gotten into a bit of a slump and could use a hand in getting some motivation...I know that's a bit of a shitty thing to say but feedback means the world to me and I would like to know how people feel about what I post...so yeah.


	7. Who will love you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert lays down the law, and Marco pours his heart into one sentence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, thank you all for being so patient with me, you guys are the best! I won't talk much (like I usually do...) and I'll just let you get to reading! <3

"Do you want to talk about it?" 

"Not really."

"But you know we are going to have to eventually...so why not just get it out of the way right now?"

"No because you're just going to be mad at me and I'm honestly not in the mood for a lecture." 

Marco scoffed as he shifted off of the Polish man's lap and instead made himself comfortable on the other end of the couch. Robert watched him with tired eyes but said nothing for a few moments, allowing the blond to collect himself a bit further. 

"You lied to me, Marco. Yes I'm a little unhappy about that but I'm more worried about your state of mind. I don't feel comfortable taking you home right now, at least not until I know what's going on and that you will be okay to be on your own." Robert turned so they were looking at each other head on, "but we are going to talk about this whether you want too or not. I am putting my foot down about this." 

Marco eyed the Dortmund scout with a raised eyebrow as he crossed his arms across his chest. _Who the hell is he to tell me what to do?_ He thought to himself but he knew he wouldn't cross Robert, not when he was the one in need of so much _comfort_ and support.

"Fine..." he groaned as he ran a hand through his slightly disarrayed hair. Robert sighed which the blond took as a notion of agreement.

"What do want me to tell you Dr. Lewandowski?" He asked with a hint of dissatisfaction, which was a tone that Robert looked a little less than keen on returning. 

"For starters, why did you lie to me?" He said quietly, almost as if the words wounded him which was something the youth coach couldn't even begin to understand. All he knew was that it pained him in ways he couldn't fathom. He didn't try to think of a reason why because it felt entirely unexplainable, _foreign_ and then it dawned on him that he had never felt such empathy before. Not for anyone. 

"Because you wouldn't think I was your equal if I didn't. I live in a shitty complex down the block, I mean it's so bad that we probably have black mold but I didn't want you to know that. You saw what I drove to work everyday but I wanted you to think that I at least had some nice things. I don't know, I just wanted to impress you I guess." 

"Marco, you are my equal. Money is not everything and I wouldn't have judged you based on what monetary things you have. I'm not that shallow, believe it or not. I don't want you to think that I care about those things because I don't. What I care about is you, Marco." 

Said man felt his cheeks heat up when he saw Robert's own turn a dark red color, and in that moment Marco realized what it was that had made him say and do those things. It wasn't just because he was a bit off the wall, or because he was still mentally recovering from the injury he sustained, it was because he had a crush on Robert. And a bad one at that.

It all made sense to him now. Why he wanted to spend time with the man, why after he had shut everyone out he was more than willing to let someone back in, he was willing to let a complete stranger into his life because that very person was someone he had managed to fall for in a matter of minutes. 

Marco had never been infatuated with anyone, not even his old girlfriend who he trusted enough to be his _first everything_. He never had feelings towards anyone which was one of the leading causes of their break up, though he would claim he loved her at certain points. Or at least he thought he had. 

For a man who had never given anyone, especially a man, a true second look over, he felt absolutely mortified at the realization. He wasn't sure when it happened, he wasn't sure if it was the moment Robert interrupted him or the moment they had lunch together on that fate filled rainy day but he didn't care. All he cared about was getting to the bottom of it and discovering where they stood. 

He didn't consider himself a lucky man for many reasons, some of which were obvious, but he truly hoped with all of his being that this wouldn't be just another disappointment. He also hoped that he hadn't ruined their friendship over a white lie and one of his many melt downs. He swallowed hard and reached out for the dark haired man's hand, like he had down just over an hour ago in the parking lot of his work place. 

Like the last time, Robert took it without hesitation.

"Can I tell you something?" Marco murmured under his breath as he stopped trying to fight off the blush that forced it's way onto his cheeks. 

"Anything," Robert answered honestly as he tightened his grip on the blond's cold hand. The latter took a deep breath.

"I...I like you, Robert." He stammered out with a shaky breath but this time he no longer cursed it, he thought the revelation sounded true. Not just to himself but to Robert as well. He couldn't say he didn't automatically feel anxious afterward because he did, but what he could say was that a weight felt like it was lifted off of his chest. 

"I like you too, Marco." 

Marco raised his head so their eyes met once again, and in the piercing blue that met his own he saw nothing short of kindness and sincerity. Robert smiled in turn.

"Finally, I've been wanting to say that but I was honestly afraid you'd give me a black eye." The Pole said with a light chuckle as he pulled the blond towards him, their faces a few inches apart. Marco had to will himself to stop laughing as their eyes locked.

"I honestly just had that realization myself but I doubt I would have punched you. I'm obviously not homophobic," the blond said tongue in cheek as he leaned his head down further, their foreheads resting on one another. 

"Well you can see why I was reluctant to say anything, there are sadly too many of those kinds of people out there...but...since I think were on the same page...can I kiss you, Marco?" 

The blond felt his heart hammer into his chest with such a ferocity that he swore he would black out, and when words failed to roll off of his lips he found himself nodding his head. A silent way of saying _I'd be offended if you didn't_ because everything else just sounded too cliche. 

Robert's lips met his gently, and to go along with the man's polished exterior, his lips were soft and plump against his own- which he was sure were chapped and dry. But the dark haired man paid it no heed if it was truly the case. Things never got as steamy as the blond would have liked but their tongues danced in perfect harmony and Marco swore his heart was in synch with the brunette's own. 

He ran his fingers through the dark coarse locks that Robert sported with a hint of admiration as he felt he had never truly appreciated Robert's beauty until now. He might have taken mental pictures of certain things, such as the man's perfect jawline and the eyes that seemed to be nothing short of pooled crystal but now everything looked surreal. 

He might have opened his eyes a few times when Robert pulled him onto his lap, and he might have made mental notes of how chiseled the other man's chest was and how strong his arms felt but that was nothing he would admit aloud. And when the kiss finally came to an end, Robert kept their foreheads pressed together as he said exactly what the blond needed to hear.

"Don't feel the need to hide anything from me, Mars. I will stick by you no matter what, okay?" 

Marco bit his lip and fought back a fresh onslaught tears.

"Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments/Kudos= motivation for me to write faster and update! Please be so kind as to leave something. XO.


	8. Who will fight?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert shares how he over came adversary with a symbolic goodbye, and Marco is more than willing to learn from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have quite an audacious thing to ask of one of you lot because at the moment I am well and truly struggling. I hate to rant about my personal life but I find this needs to be said. I've had a lot going on with university, work, and life in general, and the reason for the delay in this was because someone my family was very close with died very unexpectedly.
> 
> But the thing I need to ask is if someone would be willing to beta this work for me. I find that my time is becoming scarce and that my updates are lagging and shorter because I know I will have to proof read and edit after it's written. So I truly think that if I had a beta I would have more time and be able to make this fic the best it can possibly be. I would appreciate it too no end and even write a request for said person at the conclusion of this. I'm sorry this is such a long boring note and if you have read this to the end I appreciate it. 
> 
> Anyway, if you're feeling so kind as to help me out please leave some sort of indication in the comment section and I will ask how to further contact you. I could never thank you enough if you helped out, but even if you can't thank you for reading this and leaving such lovely words for me to read. I seriously couldn't ask for better readers, you guys give me motivation and power this fic onward. Kudos to you! XO.

Time seemed to fly by after the day Marco had his meltdown.

He couldn't comprehend how time felt as if it was flying by at an abnormal rate but coincidentally he was not complaining. He found he was quite good at his job, ending the bout of speculation he had for himself which also slashed the doubt others had for him as well. His own scout, Thomas, had not failed on his promise to come back and watch him and Marco was delighted to hear that the man thought he was indeed the right man for the job. Though Robert would claim he was the first one to point that bit out.

When it came to the Pole- who was now someone Marco was _dating_ , he had been right about a lot of things. Namely the blond's potential, and the scouting work in which he did so well. He had four kids he was planning on bringing to Dortmund, none of which were his nephew- who he stated needed a few more years before coming into the system. But to Marco's shock the Polish man had been right when he said the blond could turn the kids into _world class for their age_. They were truly a modern marvel and each showed their own gifts every time they stepped onto the pitch.

The fluidity, the technically gifted, the defensive minded players and the ones who worked like engines in the team stood out miles beyond the rest but that wasn't too say that the others were bad either. Most were still too young to be taken to the system, but others just fell short of the line clubs drew on the field. Ergo, if they worked a bit harder they could be potential candidates and Marco was keen on pushing them as far as they would go.

It would be good for them, he thought as he reminisced with Robert on their younger days when they both had just developed a love for the game. Marco loved how much his first coach pushed him because he knew without that drive he wouldn't have gotten as far as he did. In turn, his team didn't seem to mind it that much either. They we're 11-0, undefeated, and sitting pretty to go to Nationals and win the _the whole damn thing._

But that in itself was 9 games off and a few weeks after that as well, and though Robert had said "don't get too eager now, I'm not doubting you but there is still work to be done", Marco couldn't help but daydream. It was easy for him to do nowadays, and though he couldn't fathom when his sense of reality faltered he couldn't exactly say he missed it.

Robert and his team made breathing and waking up everyday acceptable, and he found that he no longer loathed the simplicity in his life. He really had Robert to thank for all of it, though. And while he sat on his dingy couch in his lack luster apartment smack dab in the middle of his favorite city in the world, he began to reminisce. 

****

**"Do you really think this is going to help?"**

**Marco watched Robert walk around him until he came to a halt and placed both of his hands on the railing of the bridge. The pair had taken a day trip to Köln, and while shopping and eating at a few of the most known restaurants had been at the top of their list there was two other things Robert had insisted on doing.**

**One of which is what brought them to Hohenzollern Bridge, where Marco stood with a thick padlock in his hands, precious words written on the back of it.**

**"Mhm, well...this is what I did when I first came to Germany after my injury. Klopp had just asked for me to come on board at Dortmund, my girl had just left me since I was no longer an athlete, and I had a lot weighing down on my mind." Robert paused as he titled his head towards the sky, his skin becoming bathed in the sunlight as the glowing orb began to set in the sky. Marco reached across the railing, his hand falling gently on top of the scouts.**

**"I wrote my name and football on this, you don't think it's a bit weird?" Marco asked with a chuckle as he churned the padlock in his other hand, Robert let out a hearty laugh.**

**"Hardly, I wrote the same thing on mine. This bridge is for love and even though football pained me for awhile it is still what my life revolves around." The dark haired man let out a deep breath, "I think I appreciate it even more now. I wouldn't go as far to say it's the love of my life but it is my one true passion."**

**Marco hummed in agreement as he removed his hand from Robert's with reluctance, he took a few step backwards as he looked for a place to slide the lock. Once spotted he wrapped the curve of the metal around the chain link before taking a deep breath. "Me too," he mumbled under his breath as he slid the lock in place, sealing it for all eternity, _or until someone removed it._ However the gesture was permanent, no one could ever take that much away. **

**"Now for the key, follow me?" Robert said warmly through a brilliant smile, his eyes seemed to be glowing as the purples and red hues in the sky reflected in them.**

**"Yeah, let's go." Marco replied as he took up Robert's hand again, the latter squeezing the formers as they strolled down the bridge with a new found purpose. "You know," Marco began as they navigated the semi-narrow passage way in search of an expanse of open water, "this is liberating."**

**"That was the intended purpose, it's all about taking control of your life again and accepting the cards fate has dealt you. But it's also about not letting fate get the better of you, your life may be set in stone but you still have free will. You cannot change the things that have happened and maybe you can't change the things that are still to come but what you can do is alter how you handle it. You can change how you direct it and how you make it work for you, that's what control is really about." Robert stated as he rubbed circles in the back of Marco's hand, the blond felt his cheeks heat up.**

**"Has anyone ever told you that you're wise beyond your years, Lewy? It's truly beautiful, you're an old soul but you're also just as cunning. You always know the right things to say." The coach said with a smile as they finally arrived at a desolate clearing, Marco watched Robert close his eyes with a grin plastered on his face.**

**"I've heard it before, but it means the most coming from you." The dark haired man said with earnest as he turned and eyed the blond over. "Now what are you waiting for, dear? Take back your future, it's rightfully yours...you deserve this."**

**Marco nodded his head as he relinquished Robert's hand once again, this time in favor of fishing the padlock's key out of his pocket. With a deep breath he brought the object up to his eyes where he studied the small metal key with a scrutinizing expression. It was more symbolic to him than it might have been for someone else, but he took Robert's words to heart. This was him taking his life back, and _he did deserve it._**

**With a quick flick of his wrist he tossed the object far into the Rhine, he didn't even see where the small object went and if he was honest he would say that he didn't care. Robert gave him a bear hug, in which he lifted the blond off of his feet and twirled him around, not once letting his feet hit the ground. Marco giggled as their foreheads fell onto one another and with sheer bliss he pressed his lips to Robert's.**

**He had never felt more free and he had never been more happy than he was in that moment.**

Three sharp knocks snapped Marco out of his revere and with sore legs he traipsed around his bags that lay strewn about on the floor as he moved towards the front door. _Speaking of the devil_ he thought to himself as he was met in the doorway by none other then Robert Lewandowski himself.

"Forget I was coming over today?" He chided as he reached out and pulled the blond into his arms, Marco's sweet laughter filling the air as he did so.

"Hardly, I was just lost in thought for awhile." The coach chided as he pressed a quick kiss on the other man's cheek, which lacked even the slightest amount of stubble. Marco made a mental note to ask if he should shave his face or not, considering he wasn't sure how well facial hair worked for himself. He also might have been a tad self conscious on the matter considering he didn't want it to bother Robert whenever they were close to one another. 

"Still in your pajamas too! Wow you really must have been out of it," the Pole said with a role of his eyes, a playful smile tugging on his lips. "Are you going to let me in or are we just going to chat in the doorway forever?" 

"Yikes, sorry I probably look like a train wreck." Marco said with a shake of his head as he pulled the other man by the hand into his apartment, no longer caring what the dark haired male thought of it. Robert had been by several times in the last few weeks, even coming over for the sole reason of doing repair work. Work Marco insisted he didn't do but the dark haired man wouldn't be detoured. 

The floors were fixed, the cracks in the ceilings were no more and even his bathroom sported fresh tiles and mirrors. Robert apparently had the tools lying around in his garage, though Marco doubted it he didn't question it. He was thankful considering he wasn't much of a handy man himself and to his surprise Robert didn't seem to mind doing it. 

The coach had offered to pay him for his time and the items he had used but the scout refused, insisting that the only pay he would accept was a few kisses and take out food from a Chinese restaurant down the street. Both were easy enough for the blond to provide and the dark haired man never looked happier than he did when they were curled up on the dilapidated couch, takeout boxes in their hands. Marco wouldn't lie, it made him happy, too.

"You don't look like a train wreck, just a hot mess." Robert said playfully as he made himself comfortable on the couch, his arms outstretching in Marco's direction. The blond chuckled as he climbed across the couch, Robert's arms encircled him as they both made themselves comfortable.

"Want to order some take out?" The scout suggested as he ran his fingers through the blond's disarrayed hair, causing the latter to sigh out of pleasure. 

"Absolutely, I'm starved." He replied with a click of his tongue as he laid his head on the other man's chest. "Chinese sound okay?"

"You know me too well, Marco Reus. I am becoming predictable." Robert said with a smile as he ruffled the younger man's hair, "but there are fates for worse than this, wouldn't you agree?" 

"I couldn't agree more, there are indeed things far worse than this." Marco said sincerely as he made a grab for his phone, no longer needing the menu as he knew the older man's order by heart. He might have known the restaurants number by heart too but like hell would he admit it. He wasn't _that_ predictable...yet, anyway.


	9. 28/4/2015 UPDATE!

Hey, everyone!

Sorry for yet another gap in posting, I had a house guest last week and now I have to catch up on all the missed work this week. Yikes. Anyway, I am just here to post the set in stone schedule for the following two ongoing stories, updates will be posted on the said days religiously with it being possible to get another one done if I have no plans or work one day. This is effective as of Monday, 4/4/2015.

The Sound of Starting Over: Update(s) every Monday

The Thing About Mario Götze: Update(s) every Wednesday

Additionally, for those of you who read Hate to See Your Heart Break you might have noticed that I officially made that work part of a series. Ergo, once I finish The Sound of Starting Over (which has about 7 more chapters) then a sequel to HtSYHB will be up and running! So be sure to check that out when it gets up and going. Anyway, that's all I have to say! Have a lovely week and I look forward to posting again. :D

-CaptainBlood

Edit: Totally forgot that by editing this and deleting the original update that I would lose all the comments (even the ones I didn't get time to reply too) ugh, ignore my stupidity. I'm not ignoring you and I appreciate the act of kindness, my dumb ass just deleted it. Haha.


	10. Buried In These Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert isn't acting like himself and it begins to reflect on his work, meanwhile a rather upsetting twist of events pushes Marco into an uncomfortable situation, one that will be more important than he realizes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back? 
> 
> Okay seriously, hey everyone! Long time no see. :) I am very happy to be back and even though this isn't due until Monday I just couldn't resist. I just wanted to thank everyone for the get well wishes and for the loyalty I have received- you all have been too kind and I appreciate this to no end. 
> 
> ALSO FOLLOW ME ON TUMBLR (I will follow you back on the spot!)  
> http://therealcaptainblood.tumblr.com/
> 
> Anyway, I won't keep rambling but please know that I don't have a beta so there may be a few mistakes here and there. I will try to catch these when I re-read this later in the day. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy. :)
> 
> Ps. Poor Lewandowski, everyone keep him in your thoughts or whatever else you may do. I will be seriously outraged if Pep decides to play him versus Barca. That might just be the Paramedic in me talking but seriously. I think this is something BVB Fans (woot woot) and Bayern fans can agree on. Get well soon, Lewy!

Marco took a careful step forward, his toes barely glancing over the touchline as he waited anxiously for the referee to blow the final whistle. His team was ahead 3-2 in the final game of the season, should they emerge victorious they would be heading into a nationwide tournament. Something Marco and his team wanted more than anything. The blond checked the clock furiously, racking his head for an explanation as to why the referee had still not blown the whistle, but he found none. 

Moments after he let out a frustrated sigh the whistle finally blew. His legs carried him as quickly as possible, albeit a bit painfully, to where his team was already gathered. He watched with glee as the young children jumped up and down, arms around each other as they celebrated. Marco patted each and everyone of his kids on the back, stating how proud he was of how hard they worked and what they had accomplished. 

For a moment, as Marco took a step back and let the parents greet their children, he wondered how the last four months went by so quickly. A part of him was excited to see what the future would hold for him, and his team, while the other realized how much he would miss his job when all was said and done. 

Without warning a hand snuck it's way onto Marco's shoulder, successfully snapping him away from his reverie. Expecting it to be Robert he whipped his head around with a giant grin plastered on his lips, one that faltered when he was instead confronted by none other than Juergen Klopp himself. The dark haired Dortmund scout stood a few feet back from the older man, a serious look was brandished on his otherwise perfect features.

"Mr. Klopp, it's a pleasure to see you again," Marco stated nervously with a raised eyebrow as he extended his hand forward in search of a handshake. The Dortmund trainer returned the gesture with a nod of his head and a firm squeeze of the blond's smaller hand.

"I was just in the neighborhood and figured I would stop by and see how things were going. Robert has failed to keep me updated entirely and seeing as he is distracted by something I had to see your progress for myself." Klopp's usually warm smile had a bit of menace to it which led Marco to believe that he was anything but happy. 

He spared a glance at Robert, who was still staring ahead solemnly, before returning his undivided attention the man who had graced him with his presence. 

"Oh? I'm sorry, Klopp. That is probably my fault, I've been asking a lot of him lately and his opinions have become very important to me and how I plan my tactics out for the day. Please don't be angry with him." Marco said nervously, realizing his speech was out of turn, he felt his cheeks heat up.

"Marco that's not the case at all, don't feel the need to cover for me. Yes I help you with your duties but I have neglected certain aspects of my job and that all falls on me. Klopp, he's lost his marbles. Please ignore that, I take full responsibility." Robert admitted openly as he took a step forward, his piercing eyes briefly met Marco's as he mouthed _why would do that? Don't risk your future career for me._

The blond was thankful to understand him, having spent enough time with the scout over the past months their mutual understanding had skyrocketed. It was times like these that Marco counted his lucky stars that it did. 

"Enough you two, it's done with. Robert I will expect a _full report_ on my desk first thing Monday morning." Juergen said with a crooked smile as he glanced at Marco, "you did well today. I'm impressed with the fluidity in which your team plays football. One could say they play better than kids five years their senior." 

"Thank you very much," the blond mumbled quietly as he clasped his hands together, a nervous habit he had never shook. 

"Just giving praise where it is due, Mr. Reus. Would you be interested in meeting the board on Monday?" Klopp paused and waited for the younger coach to nod before continuing. "We need a new assistant for the reserves and I think you could be the man for the job. Impress me enough and I could see you rising through the ranks at a very quick rate. In as little as a few years you could be a member of the first team's staff."

"Sir, thank you for that. You have no idea how much I appreciate it," Marco stated coolly as he let the smile he was holding back grace his lips. Klopp returned it.

"Now you still have my card, don't you?" 

Marco nodded his head in affirmation. 

"Good, be at the training center at eight a.m sharp, dress to impress, bring your resume, and call if you have any questions beforehand. Okay?"

"Okay...thank you again." Marco responded happily, completely oblivious to the growing voices around him as the crowd picked up on who he was speaking with.

"Well I will take my leave then, don't want to be swarmed by the masses just yet." Juergen cracked with a cheeky grin as he patted the blond coach on the back. "See you Monday, and Robert don't forget what I said." 

The two ex-footballers watched the world renowned coach disappear without any further words or explanation. It was then that Robert closed the gap between the two and he slung a tired arm over the blond's smaller shoulders. Marco instinctively leaned in to the touch. 

"Go talk to the parents and your team, we can talk about this later." The scout stated blandly as he gave the smaller man's shoulder a quick squeeze before attempting to pull away. Marco caught his hand.

"Robert, what's wrong with you? You're not acting like yourself." He asked, his voice laced thick with worry and concern. Robert didn't turn around, instead he looked over his shoulder.

"Nothing, what would ever make you think that?" He answered dully, voice seemingly void of emotion though Marco could detect more to it. Something felt _different_ about the man he was ever so slowly falling in love with. Not only was it in his actions, but deep within his usually calm demeanor something was definitely off. 

Marco didn't know why but Robert was hiding something. He just had to find out what.

\- -

Upon arriving home, via bus considering Marco's car was now in a junk yard and Robert had a meeting to attend, he discovered police tape marking the entry way up to his building. 

It wasn't the first time he had seen something like that but it certainly looked a lot more serious than it had in the past. A few of his neighbors chatted amongst themselves as two paramedics finally emerged from the building, cops in tow, as they removed what Marco realized was a body.

"What happened?" The blond murmured to himself as he watched on with horror. An elderly woman who Marco recognized as the one who lived two doors down from him placed a gentle hand on his arm. 

"Oh, it was terrible. There was such a ruckus and then a large crash, the police say someone broke into that young woman's apartment and when she tried to fight back she was..." The woman paled as did Marco as he insisted that that was enough information for him. She seemed glad to change the topic.

"They say we will have to stay elsewhere tonight because we cannot contaminate the crime seen, they think there may be prints in the halls." She mumbled as she tightened her scarf around her neck, Marco gawked at her.

"Finger prints? Are they mad? This place hasn't been cleaned since it was built, they will be looking forever." He grunted as he freed his phone from the front pocket of his figure hugging jeans, the woman merely shrugged.

"You're right about that, boy. This could take more time than most of us would like it too." She announced as she looked over her shoulder, Marco followed her gaze until it fell on an old Mercedes. "My sister is here to pick me up, do you have a place to stay? You're such a nice boy, I don't want you having to stay in some hostel." 

"Thank you for the kindness ma'am but I think I can go stay with a friend of mine." Marco said with a genuine smile that was eagerly returned by the frail looking woman.

"Well you take care of yourself," she demanded with a wave as she slowly made her way to the parked black car. 

With a sigh, Marco scanned through his contacts until he came to Robert's that simply read _Lewy :D_. His finger hung over the touch screen for a moment as he contemplated whether or not interrupting his meeting was something he was willing to do. One glance at the coroner who strode out of his gray vehicle, solemn expression and clipboard in hand, told him all he needed to know. Without a second thought he finally hit call.

It took several tries and thirty minutes before a very disgruntled Robert answered the phone.

"YES? I told you I was in a meeting, Marco. I was getting my ass chewed out when you called and when my phone rang that only made things better." He cursed, causing the blond to flinch and bite his tongue. Marco hopped up on a bench near the train station as he gave the dark haired man a few moments to cool down. 

"Sorry, I just had a bit of a problem and need to ask you something." He explained as he swayed his legs back and forth in the breeze, the sun finally starting to set over the horizon. 

"A problem?" There was a brief pause, "are you okay? Please tell me you're all right." Marco smiled to himself as the anger in the other man's voice was quickly replaced with concern, his heart began to beat a little harder at the thought of how much Robert worried about him.

"Yes, I'm fine so no need to flip out. But someone kind of got murdered in my building?" Marco winced when he said it, chills running up his arms as the vision of the gurney being wheeled onto the street popped into his head.

He knew his neighborhood was bad at times, but he had never seen anything like that. Not once did he think it was _that bad_ , a little mold he could handle, broken appliances could be fixed and the building could be built up again. What couldn't be fixed was the people he shared a home with, it was beyond his control. Drugs were a common problem, Marco couldn't even count on one hand how many times a dealer had come to his door asking if he wanted anything.

It was as if no one in the neighborhood respected themselves enough to practice the seemingly simple art of privacy. Drugs were one thing, Marco could turn a blind eye to the bad habits people had even though it saddened him greatly. What he couldn't turn away from was the blatant fact that a woman who lived directly above him was dead as a result of struggling to get by.

He thought he remembered her, young, pretty, smart enough to be somebody but broke enough to do whatever she could to survive. Though a name neglected to come to mind, he knew she was a person, just like himself. He didn't want to think about how easily it could have been him. All he wanted was to get the hell out of that building, away from the ghetto, away from the crime and the needless bloodshed. 

If he was honest, he would say it terrified him to the point that he would leave all of his belongings there and never return to claim them. Joy forgotten from the overwhelmingly good result his team got earlier in the day, he found himself mourning the loss of someone he didn't even know by name.

"Marco are you serious? Where are you, are you okay?" Robert's voice became laced heavily with panic which did little to soothe the grim feeling that hung over the blond's head. A feeling too familiar for his liking. 

His legs felt glued to the spot, frozen mid air as he watched a train fly by him at a seemingly astronomical speed, his heart beat echoed in his ears so much so that it was deafening. Robert's voice seemed to blend into the blaring beats he heard bounce around his head and no matter how much he tried words failed to slip past his lips. 

_A panic attack?_

A part of his mind tried to call out but his reasoning was suddenly distorted. For an unknown amount of time he sat motionless on the train station bench. The sun dipped down past the horizon at some point and the street lamps lit the otherwise darkened streets. Marco felt a surge of panic. 

_Robert._

Frantically he jerked his phone away from his cheek and glanced down at the bright iPhone home screen. It was then Marco realized he had only been out of it for approximately thirty minutes, which did comfort him to a point. What didn't was the 15 missed calls he had from Robert, not counting the text messages that seemingly went on forever. With reluctance, he hit the redial icon and braced himself for whatever backlash may come.

"Marco?" Robert answered quickly, the formers phone only ringing once before the terrified voice sounded through his speaker.

"I'm sorry," the coach whispered into the receiver as he brought his knees up to his chest in an attempt to calm himself down.

"Where are you? Are you hurt?" The scout inquired with a sigh of relief, Marco heard the faint start up of an engine starting up in the background- briefly he wondered which car the dark haired man was in. Even in tough times Marco's love for cars was ever so present, that much he could admit.

"I'm at the train station, I walked here awhile ago. I'm not hurt, Lewy, I think I just had an anxiety attack or something, I think I'm just stressed and a bit freaked out about seeing that earlier. I hope I didn't scare you too badly..." Marco said nervously as he wrapped his arms around his knees, desperately trying to warm himself up in the constantly growing colder Dortmund air.

"Well let's see, I can be there in about ten minutes, okay?" Marco grunted in acknowledgment, "also you scared the shit out of me. I was about to call the police, Mars. I thought something happened to you and I was ready to kill someone..." the blond rolled his eyes at the last part of the statement. "Sorry that was really innapropriate." Robert apologized with a hint of embarrassment.

"Yeah that’s fine, Lewy. I'm okay, I promise. But can you tell me something while you're on your way here?" The wind picked up at a faster clip as Marco hopped up from the bench in favor of walking around the brightly lit station. His hair- that he had stopped dyeing months ago- whipped around in the breeze, finally free of the confinement of the the hair gel he had applied so diligently earlier in the day.

"Anything, love. You know that," Robert's words brought back the quickened heart beat Marco felt in his chest earlier but this time it was more tame, this time he didn't go into an absolute panic. 

"Why are you acting so weird lately? Don't say that you aren't because even your boss had something to say about it. Ever since we got back from Köln you've seemed a bit off. It's not like you. You're usually the one ray of sunlight I have besides work but since that trip you've seemed even gloomier than me." 

Robert let out a deep breath but didn't answer the question for several moments, Marco silently wondered what could possibly be so hard to talk about. No matter what answer came his way, Marco was one hundred percent prepared to work through the issue with the older man. For as much faith as Robert had put into him he figured it was the least he could do.

Marco couldn't imagine where he would be without the Dortmund scout's help. In a coffin somewhere is what he figured but even that seemed a little melodramatic for the circumstances. In short, Marco didn't want to imagine life without Robert, the one who had breathed life into a sad _would have been, could have been, **should have been**_ footballer. 

For the first time in forever, Marco felt alive and that was all thanks to Robert. He planned on doing whatever he could to return the favor.

"So Robert...what's wrong?" He mumbled again when the silence became too great to bare.

"Well...Marco I..."


	11. If It Means a Lot to You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert has something to get off of his chest, and Marco is in for a minor surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long story short: Lost power two days ago, worked yesterday, and wrote this in between meetings. XD Sorry if there are any spelling errors in this, I will double check it when I have time! Hope you enjoy. :)

"Well...Marco...I..." Robert sighed deeply through the receiver, the sound echoed dully in Marco's ear as he came to a halt under one of the station's street lamps. He took a deep breath.

"You what, Robert?" He inquired as a thousand different possibilities ran through his head, his heart rate doubled before the Dortmund scout finally gave him what he had been looking for.

"Marco I want you to move in with me."

The weight that sat heavily on the coach's chest lifted and in its stead his cheeks flushed a brilliant shade of red. Like a fish out of water he opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to form words but unable to vocalize them.

"Mars?" 

The blond snapped his eyes open and focused every ounce of concentration he had into his carefully picked out sentence but to his displeasure the only thing that came out of his mouth was sheer stupidity.

"What?"

 _What?_ He mentally grilled himself for why on earth he had said that instead of what he meant, even though he was unable to answer his own question he sincerely hoped Robert wouldn't be offended by the blatant inquiry. 

"I said, I want you to move in with me." The other man reiterated with emphasis on every word, making sure he was heard this time in case he wasn't the first. Marco visibly tensed at the nervousness in Robert's voice.

"I...I-I," Marco face palmed out of sheer aggravation, "why do you want me to move in with you?" He stammered as he wrapped one arm around himself, his teeth chattering together as a cold stream of air blasted against his warm skin. 

"Because..." there was a pause in which only a sigh could be heard, "I worry about you too much. That apartment of yours is falling apart, your car is a goner, the people there obviously have issues, and I seriously think I see a new drug bust on the block every day. I don't like you living there, it's too dangerous and you mean to much to me. I'd rather have you with me where I know you're safe. Okay?" 

Marco originally thought his cheeks couldn't grow any warmer but after hearing what had been pestering Robert, to the point of him acting differently, he felt them grow unnaturally hot. Not once had he imagined _that_ being the thing bothering his companion, he didn't think it had ever crossed his mind, actually.

"I know you're all about your independence but I really, really, really want to help you. Not because I feel sorry for you and not because I think you can't handle things on your own but because I don't want you to have to do that. I've gotten extremely lucky in life and even though your luck has just turned around I don't want you to be burdened by anything.

Speaking of which, you are not and would never be a burden to me. I want you to be comfortable with me and the idea of staying at my home, because I want it to be your home, too. I've been wanting to ask you this since we got back from Köln  
but I knew that was too soon." Robert took a deep breath, on the other end of the phone Marco wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

"I'm sorry I've been a bit distant, it's been a classic case of 'it's not you, it's me', but that really has been the case." The pair shared a laugh, "but Marco I want you to listen to me and listen to me good. I...I think I love you, okay?" Marco's eyes slipped shut, the grip on his phone tightening as the words echoed in his mind. "I just want you to know that...and I want you to know that's why I want this. I care about you...a lot, and I want to make sure you're safe and happy."

"Guess this whole incident does speak volumes about the kind of place I live, huh?" Marco questioned as he leaned against the light post, his heart thumping into his chest as if a rabbit was hiding just beyond his rib cage.

"It does, do we even need to talk about how devastated I would be if that was you?" Robert asked with a twinge of sadness, one Marco could easily share.

"No, we don't...it crossed my mind, how selfish is that?" The youth coach asked as his eyes picked up a pair of headlights, one's he hoped belonged to one of Robert's cars. 

"It's not selfish, I think that's a pretty normal reaction." 

Marco watched the car lights dim and a figure emerge, he could immediately tell that it was Robert. A black leather jacket shielded him from the autumn chill, while the red scarf that hung from his neck blocked out the _unnecessary_ cold wind that came and went without warning. Marco couldn't help but notice how good the outfit looked on him but that wasn't the only thing on his mind.

With carefully timed movements he hung up the phone without a word and took calculated steps forward, waiting until Robert was only a few meters in front of him, Marco sprinted the rest of the distance and flung himself at the Dortmund scout. Robert caught him with a grunt as he hoisted the blond into the air, his legs sneaking around Robert's hips as their foreheads came to rest on top of one another. 

Marco grinned from ear to ear as he took note of the light pink that covered Robert's cheeks at the sudden contact. The blond ran a hand along the other man's cheek, taking note of every indention and bone that resided there; Robert's eyes, brilliantly blue and equally mesmerizing, met his own and even though it's entirely impossible to tell what a person was thinking, Marco swore he could see the nervousness that glinted in the aqua colored pools. 

"I wanna see you say it," Marco whispered as he wrapped his arms tightly around the other man, trying to help ease the strain his weight put the man under. 

"See me say what?" Robert replied in confusion, something the youth coach giggled at.

"You think you love me, right?" Marco inquired with a smile, the larger man seemed to stiffen.

"I...yeah, I'm pretty sure I do." 

"Then say it," the blond demanded with a purr as he ran a hand through the other man's darker colored locks. Robert bit his lip.

"I love you," he stammered out nervously, eyes locking onto Marco's and never losing their attention. The younger man's smile grew even wider, his legs tightening further onto Robert's frame.

"I love you too," Marco admitted before gruffly crashing their lips together. Robert's arms circled him, helping to hold him close as he ran his tongue along the outside of Marco's lips, silently asking for permission to deepen the kiss. The blond's lips parted almost instantaneously, his tongue greeting Robert's as their lips mouthed in sync- their confessions still weighing down heavily on each others minds. 

It wasn't until a train whistle blew that the two broke apart, half way out of breath and both startled from the sharp screech that shattered their moment of peace. Marco unraveled himself and placed his feet on the solid ground again, though he didn't relinquish his old on Robert entirely. 

"So, are we going home now or are we going to spend the rest of the night kissing at the station? Your call." 

Robert paused for a moment, a truly happy and grateful smile dancing on his lips as he pulled Marco close to him once again.

"Let's go home, okay?" 

Marco took a deep breath.

"Thank you," he stated with a sigh of relief, his eyes falling on his feet as he mumbled the most embarrassing thing he could ever say to his lover. "I hate to admit this because I think it sounds cliche, but..." he bit his lip. "I think you're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Robert.

Yeah my pride is a bit wounded because I hate taking hand outs but I know you're right. It's for my own good, it's for my safety, and it's for...for us really. I thought that maybe in Köln I did something to make you mad at me. But when Klopp said that you had been slacking earlier today I seriously thought something was really wrong with you.

You scared the shit out of me and I don't appreciate it." 

Robert opened his mouth to defend himself but Marco shushed him with a raised finger.

"But I'm also incredibly grateful. I'm still trying to find out what you're hiding because I don't think anyone can be this perfect. Are you sure you're human?" 

"I'm not entirely positive but I would hope so, if not I've been identifying as the wrong species for years and that's really embarrassing." Robert chimed with a laugh as he dropped his arms from Marco's waist and began to slip his leather coat off of his shoulders. He offered the object to the blond in front of him, who merely raised an eyebrow.

"You're shaking, I'm burning up because I seriously thought you were going to be breaking my heart tonight and I think it goes without saying that my blood pressure soared at the thought." Marco's mouth fell open as he took the coat and slipped it over his arms.

"You thought I would break your heart? What did you think was going to happen?" He asked as he took a step forward, placing a hand on Robert's waist as he pressed his head to the larger man's chest. Robert secured his arms around him in return.

"I hoped you wouldn't but I prepared for the worst, just in case." He answered with honesty while he felt Marco's hand dig in his front pocket. "What do you think you're doing?" He stuttered as he felt his skin grow hot, his cheeks surely changing back to the color of a tomato. 

"Don't flatter yourself, Lewy." Marco teased as he grabbed hold of the key ring the Pole had stuck back into his pocket, "I just want to drive your car...if that's okay?" 

Robert resisted the urge to smack himself in the face.

"You only like me for my cars, I swear." He stated with a cheeky grin as he began to walk off into the direction of his Range Rover, he could hear Marco scoff.

"Yeah, right. It has nothing to do with the fact you have the personality and kindness of an angel and all the sexiness of a model. That has nothing to do without it all." Marco blabbed as he finally caught up with his _friend,_ "well that and the fact you actually care about me. That's the most important thing, really." 

Robert froze in his tracks before pivoting on his heel so he could look into Marco's forest colored eyes.

"I just realized something and I feel completely idiotic," he admitted as he shook his head slowly, almost in disbelief. "Not once did I ask you if you wanted to be my boyfriend." 

Marco chuckled and raised an eyebrow, his hands going to his hips.

"Oh? So was that finally the question I've been waiting for?" 

"Yeah, that would be the one. If you want me you can have me," Robert teased with a wink as he stuck his hands in his pockets, a smug grin lingered on his face. 

"Well who am I turn down such an offer," Marco replied with a click of his tongue. "Of course I'll have you," he answered as he took a step forward, his eyes closing happily for a moment. 

"I'm glad, but we should probably head back now. It's extremely late and I want to curl up with you, eat some food, and go to sleep." Robert chided as he finally reached the black Range Rover, Marco took his spot on the driver's side.

"Chinese food sound good to you?" The soon to be Dortmund II assistant asked as he started the car up, the engine roaring sounding like nothing short of music to his ears.

"As always."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? I got you all worried over nothing. ;D I have a bad habit of doing that and it's a miracle you all don't hate me...hehe.


	12. Homebound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Semi-short but that's because I plan on updating everything again tomorrow night. XD Please enjoy it anyway!

"Robert!"

Marco shrieked as he ran out of Signal Iduna Park, a huge grin on his face as he all but flung himself in the Polish man's strong arms. Robert cocked his head to the side to avoid being hit, letting out a chuckle as he pushed the younger man back by his shoulders so he could look him in the eye.

"I got the job!" Marco exclaimed happily, "Klopp said he liked my spunk and thought I would be great with the reserve team. Can you believe it?" 

"Of course I can. I told you that you were something special, remember? You'll be delighted to know that I didn't get fired and also, six of your boys are going to Dortmund's academy. You did one helluva job, I'm incredibly proud of you." Robert smiled before pulling Marco back into his arms, planting a kiss on his forehead as he did so.

Marco buried his face in the crook of his neck, eyes closing as he breathed in the scent of expensive cologne and something so undeniably _Robert_ , something that couldn't be called by any other name. 

"Hey you two, come back here for a second!" 

They separated just as quickly as they had come together, each squinting as they looked back at the building they had previously exited from. Juergen stood in the door way, waving them back over impatiently. With a shared glance of confusion and a shrug they followed the order. 

"Robert, I know I was hard on you and I wanted to apologize." 

Said man stopped a few feet in front of his boss who was smiling nervously, running a hand through his hat hair. On his arm hung a black jacket. Robert nodded his head.

"It's all right, I deserved it. Thank you for being so understanding." 

"Of course, I am just glad it all worked out in the end." Juergen proclaimed as he cast a sideways glance at Marco, who was growing more confused by the second. "But I figured I could make it up to you, take this." The Dortmund coach held the jacket out to Robert who took it without a word. 

Marco watched as he held it out, a smile growing on the dark haired man's face as a look of disbelief swept across his angelic features. 

"You're kidding me, right?" Robert asked with a nervous laugh, Juergen on the other hand shook his head. 

"Not at all, you've earned that promotion." 

"What is it exactly?" Marco inquired shyly, hoping it wasn't entirely out of turn for him to speak. Robert held the coat out for him to see. In the top right hand corner were the initials _RL_ , and under that read _Athletic Coach_ Marco's eyes widened in shock.

"But athletic coach? What makes you think I'd be good at that?" Robert asked with a small smile as he clutched the jacket to his chest, he couldn't hide the swell of pride he felt surging throughout him. 

"Well we discussed it and decided you would be best suited for helping the lads stay in shape, you seem like you're good at that." Juergen said with a laugh and a lopsided grin, something Marco chuckled at. "I mean have you seen him, Marco? He's ripped, an old man like me is jealous."

"Klopp that's hardly appropriate," Robert teased with a shake of his head, "so you're going to let me set up exercise routines and dietary plans? I don't exactly have a degree in that." 

"You don't need one, do you? I don't think so anyway..." Juergen paused and cleared his throat, "you can do some scout work on the side if you'd like. We just thought you might want a chance to advance within the infrastructure. Of course if it doesn't pan out you can always go back to being a scout."

"Well thank you, I promise to give it all I've got." Robert said happily as he extended an arm out and grabbed hold of Marco's forearm, pulling him over to him. "Marco and I will definitely not let you down." 

"You better not, I have faith in you two." 

The pair exchanged a nervous, yet knowing look.

"You won't be disappointed." 

\- - -

Moving all of Marco's things into Robert's home hadn't been half as tedious as the two were expecting. Once the police tape was removed and the evidence was gathered, the doors were open once again to the people who lived within the crumbling building's walls. Marco didn't own much nice enough to take, so most of the effort they spent was moving things to the trash.

The blond felt self conscious. 

Despite Robert coming into his home before and helping him fix things up the place was still a disaster, though it was anything but his fault. Robert on the other hand didn't seem to pay it any mind, he politely packed things away. Securely and carefully making space for everything as they filled the last of the boxes up. 

"Well that's the last of it, love." Robert said with a smile as he waltzed back into the barren apartment, having loaded his Range Rover with Marco's possessions. The younger man nodded his head, taking one final look around him as he kissed the place he had called _home_ goodbye for the final time. 

Robert, sensing some level of distress, approached him a frown, pulling the smaller man into his arms as he rocked them back and forth. Marco wrapped his arms snugly around the taller man's neck, holding himself as close as possible to his boyfriend as he fought off a wave of senseless anxiety.

"For some reason this is liberating and painful," Marco admitted as he felt Robert plan a fury of small kisses on the top of head head. 

"Is it?" He inquired as he tightened his grip, "I'm glad you're moving in with me. I'd have to kill someone if they ever laid a finger on you. I know you'll be safe with me, that's going to help me sleep better at night." 

Marco blushed, fingers tracing invisible lines on Robert's neck as he swayed back and forth in time with the larger man's movements. "Me too," he muttered under his breath as he shook off the feeling of sadness that tried so desperately to take him over. "Thank you for everything. How stupid it would it be if I said I think you saved my life?" 

"I don't think that would be stupid, but I would be corny and say you had it in you all along. I'm just glad I got to meet you, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. How cliche is that to say?" Robert said with a laugh as he pulled away from his lover, Marco shot him a cheeky grin.

"Very cliche, but I think I can accept that." He countered with a pucker of his lips, "let's get out of here. I don't want to breathe this mold in for one more second than I have too." 

"You're right," Robert said as he extended his hand out, "continuing the cliches here...let's go home, yeah?" Marco smiled.

"Yeah, let's go home."


End file.
